The role of gender and self-efficacy in domestic energy saving behaviors: A case study in Lombardy, Italy

A deeper understanding of the domestic saving behaviors is crucial for improving Italian energy policies, as the country is still characterized by the dependence on foreign non-renewable sources and by an underestimation of psycho-social and behavioral factors. This research explores the relationship between gender, self-efficacy and energy saving behaviors at the household level in the Lombardy region, Italy. We investigated the characteristics of the well-documented gender gap in energy saving behaviors, to understand if virtuous habits by women are observed also in that context, how gender effects are related with different types of addressed behaviors and the role of self-efficacy in this process. Results suggest that gender effects are not uniformly spread across energy saving behaviors, but interrelated with the local and national culture, following specific patterns. Moreover, data show that domain-specific self-efficacy is gender-sensitive. The study indicates that promoting a gender perspective is a key factor when designing sustainability policies at individual, family, and community level. Moreover, it points to the need for specific strategies dedicated to the various domestic energy saving targets and behaviors, in general and in the Italian context.