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  • © 2006

User Behavior and Technology Development

Shaping Sustainable Relations Between Consumers and Technologies

  • The first volume that explicitly deals with the interactions between
  • technology and behavior
  • Offers a systematic and integrative overview of state of the art research of technology – behavior interactions
  • An interdisciplinary study, in which all disciplines relevant to the study of technology-behavior interactions are brought together
  • Provides a basis for policy-making
  • Provides a basis for product design

Part of the book series: Eco-Efficiency in Industry and Science (ECOE, volume 20)

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Table of contents (36 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvi
  2. Conceptual Frameworks for Analyzing Technology and Behavior

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. Technology and user behavior

      • Adriaan Slob, Peter-Paul Verbeek
      Pages 3-12
    3. Action facilitation and desired behavior

      • Albert G. Arnold, Petra Mettau
      Pages 13-20
    4. Safety

      • Adrienne van den Bogaard, Paul Swuste
      Pages 21-31
    5. Technology and household activities

      • J. P. Groot-Marcus, P. M. J. Terpstra, L. P. A. Steenbekkers, C. A. A. Butijn
      Pages 33-42
    6. Technology and behavior

      • Wim J. M. Heijs
      Pages 43-52
    7. Acting artifacts

      • Peter-Paul Verbeek
      Pages 53-60
    8. Technology and behavior

      • Jaap Jelsma
      Pages 61-70
    9. Technology and users

      • Wim J. M. Heijs, Peter-Paul Verbeek
      Pages 81-92
  3. Technology, Behavior and Sociotechnical Practices

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 94-94
    2. Technology and behavior

      • Laurie Hendrickx, Anton J. M. Schoot Uiterkamp
      Pages 95-106
    3. Sustainable technologies and everyday life

      • Gert Spaargaren, Susan Martens, Theo A. M. Beckers
      Pages 107-118
    4. Residential behavior in sustainable houses

      • Erica Derijcke, Jan Uitzinger
      Pages 119-126
    5. Making energy feedback work

      • L. T. McCalley, Cees J. H. Midden
      Pages 127-137
    6. Technological innovations and the promotion of energy conservation

      • Trijntje Völlink, Ree M. Meertens
      Pages 139-148
    7. Household energy consumption

      • Wim J. M. Heijs
      Pages 149-157
    8. Marketing of technological products

      • Nicole van Kesteren, Ree M. Meertens
      Pages 159-171
    9. Diffusion of technological innovations

      • Trijntje Völlink, Ree M. Meertens, Cees J. H. Midden
      Pages 173-180

About this book

Environmental policy has long been determined by a dichotomy between technology and behavior. Some approaches stress the importance of technology and technological innovation, while others focus on behavioral change. Each approach has its limitations, however, since technology and behavior often appear so closely intertwined. Human behavior results not only from intentions and deliberate decisions, but also from its interaction with technological artifacts. In the area of traffic safety, for instance, people’s driving behavior is determined as much by curves, speed bumps and the power of their motors as by considerations of safety and responsibility. How can we best describe and understand these interactions between behavior and technology? What conceptual frameworks and empirical studies are available, and how can they be integrated? And how can we bring these interactions to bear on product design and policy making?

The book User Behavior and Technology Development explores these relationships between technology and behavior from an interdisciplinary perspective. This includes contributions from cognitive psychology, industrial design, public administration, marketing, sociology, ergonomics, science and technology studies, and philosophy. The book aims to create a conceptual basis for analyzing interactions between technology and behavior, and to provide insights that are relevant to technology design and environmental policy.

Editors and Affiliations

  • Department of Philosophy, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands

    Peter-Paul Verbeek

  • TNO Built Environment and Geosciences, Delft, The Netherlands

    Adriaan Slob

About the editors

Peter-Paul Verbeek (1970) is associate professor of philosophy at the Department of Philosophy, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands. He holds a M.Sc. in the Philosophy of Science, Technology and Society and a Ph.D. in the Philosophy of Technology. He publishes on the social and cultural roles of technology, the morality of technological artifacts, and the ethics and philosophy of (industrial) design.

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access