Zoekresultaten

De Drentse Schone L.E.I.

De Kracht van Sport

Wat is de kracht van sport?’ Dat was de uitdagende, prikkelende vraag die wij aan 25 studenten hebben voorgelegd. Het beantwoorden van deze vraag bleek een complexe en soms frustrerende exercitie. Tijdens de zoektocht naar het antwoord moest steeds de balans tussen breedte en diepte van de vraag in de gaten gehouden worden. Daarnaast bleken de studenten soms onzeker over wat zij, als ‘slechts’ studenten, konden bijdragen aan het beantwoorden van deze moeilijke vraag waar vele wetenschappers zich op stuk hebben gebeten. Naar onze mening is de bijdrage van deze studenten heel groot. Zij hebben een compleet en actueel beeld gegeven van hun perceptie over de kracht van sport.

Using a Gaussian Graphical Model to Explore Relationships Between Items and Variables in Environmental Psychology Research

Exploratory analyses are an important first step in psychological research, particularly in problem-based research where various variables are often included from multiple theoretical perspectives not studied together in combination before. Notably, exploratory analyses aim to give first insights into how items and variables included in a study relate to each other. Typically, exploratory analyses involve computing bivariate correlations between items and variables and presenting them in a table. While this is suitable for relatively small data sets, such tables can easily become overwhelming when datasets contain a broad set of variables from multiple theories. We propose the Gaussian graphical model as a novel exploratory analyses tool and present a systematic roadmap to apply this model to explore relationships between items and variables in environmental psychology research. We demonstrate the use and value of the Gaussian graphical model to study relationships between a broad set of items and variables that are expected to explain the effectiveness of community energy initiatives in promoting sustainable energy behaviors.

Is energie besparen aanstekelijk?

Inmiddels zijn vele koplopers in Drenthe initiatieven gestart om de energietransitie een stapje verder te helpen. Maar hoe krijgen we de rest van de inwoners van Drenthe ook mee? Met behulp van de Provincie Drenthe en Buurkracht voeren onderzoekers van het Kenniscentrum Energie van de Hanzehogeschool Groningen een experiment uit waarin mensen die nu nog niet actief meedoen, gevraagd worden hun bijdrage aan de transitie te leveren.

Power to the people: a neighbourhood based social intervention.

The number of local energy initiatives in the Netherlands is rising. The so called ‘Buurkrachtbuurten’ are contributing to this growth. ‘Buurkracht’ is a non-profit organisation aiming to support neighbourhoods in their attempts to reduce energy consumption. Their goal is save as much energy as possible and, in the process, to contribute to social cohesion within local communities. An intervention to increase awareness of energy consumption and to increase social cohesion was tested in four villages in the northern part of the Netherlands (the province of Drenthe). The aim of this study was to help people to take their first step in the larger energy transition. Participants (N=75) measured their energy use with energy power meters and shared the results with their neighbours and with the researchers. Through “within-subject comparisons” (of different appliances within homes) and “between-subject comparisons” (of similar appliances within the neighbourhood), participants gained insight in their energy consumption. Furthermore, results showed that after this intervention (“Find the Energy Guzzler”), some participants acted according their insights, e.g. replaced some appliances. The evaluation of the intervention was very positive and participants would recommend this intervention to other people. Also, one of the experienced benefits of participation was that it increased contact with the neighbours. Other strengths and improvements are discussed as well in the paper.

Het vergroten van het succes van Buurkracht