WHAT CAN PENGUINS TEACH US ABOUT ENERGY CONSUMPTION?

The first two are approaching optimization, owned to advances in technology, climate-change awareness, and greater connectivity that internet and social media bring.

At the personal level, though, not much has been done. This approach is more complex as it requires targeting and tailor-made interventions.

But as an initial point, it requires answering the question:

ENERGY OVERCONSUMPTION CAN BE TACKLED AT 3 LEVELS

developing energy-efficient technologies

building environmentally-conscious attitudes

focusing on individual energy overconsumption

1: TECHNOLOGY

2: SOCIETY

3: PERSONAL

WHICH INDIVIDUALS USE UNNECESSARY ENERGY?

Perhaps to your surprise, scientific research reveals that these are the people who lack social connectedness - people who don’t have companions, who feel alone, and who yearn for quality social interactions.

BUT WHAT DOES ENERGY CONSUMPTION HAVE TO DO WITH SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS?

Penguins need to deal with harsh and cold environments. This made them very social: When penguins get colder, they huddle with each other.

Our bodies rely on the same biological principles, and so, others can keep us warm as efficiently as an electric heater.

Everyday examples illustrate this point. When we sleep alone, we feel colder. When our hands are freezing, we place them between those of our loved ones. When we are cold, we want others to “warm us up”.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE LACK SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS?

THIS IS WHERE PENGUINS COME INTO PLAY.

They feel lonely, and research has convincingly shown that the lack of social connectedness makes people feel colder. In their minds, they lack their fellow penguin. Research suggests they may require more heating in order to compensate for feeling psychologically cold:

Lonely people shower longer, more frequently, and use warmer water. They estimate room temperature as lower and show a preference for warmer food and drinks. This reveals that increased physical warmth acts as a meaningful coping strategy for buffering feelings of loneliness.

But social events can rid us of winter’s colds. When it gets colder, people experience nostalgia, they rent more romantic movies, and they read “warm” romantic novels. So people use a variety of social strategies – besides their heater – to warm up.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS INDICATE?

It indicates a smart solution: Not feeling so lonely will likely

reduce our energy needs.

We are a group of psychologists, led by the foreknown expert on social thermoregulation. We can create a

solution that will reduce both energy consumption and loneliness.

Here’s how we will do it: First, we will conduct a large-scale

research connecting loneliness to energy use. Then, we will craft an intervention that will apply scientific research on

loneliness in innovative and creative ways.

WE HAVE A PLAN.

WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.

Drs. Sanja Djordjevic has obtained two master degrees: one in Clinical Psychology from Leiden University and one in Social Psychology

from Tilburg University. She implements psychology knowledge to real-life settings.

Dr. Hans IJzerman is an assistant professor at Department of Clinical Psychology at VU University,

one of the leaders of Amsterdam Emotion Regulation Lab, and a fellow at the Netherlands Institute for

Advanced Studies at Humanities and Social Sciences.

Drs. Taylan Bele graduated with merit from Tilburg University in Social Psychology. He specializes in behavior change and is currently completing his

graduate fellowship at HIJSA.

WHO ARE WE?

www.hijsa-bcc.nlinfo@hijsa-bcc.nl