Conference article

Technology and Behaviour in the Use of Electricity

Mats Bladh
Dept. of Thematic Studies—Technology and social change, Linköping University, Sweden

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Published in: Proceedings of the Sustaining Everyday Life Conference

Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 38:19, p. 105-116

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Published: 2010-11-05

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ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)

Abstract

In the literature on the potential of reducing householder’s consumption of electrical energy; two interpretations can be discerned. On the one hand a technologist’s view that technological change will do the work; on the other a sociologist’s view that practice is at the heart of the matter. I argue that both views are important for our understanding; but at the same time reductionist. In this article I will discuss this based on studies of the use of electrical equipment among households in Sweden.

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