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Not All Places Are Equal: Using Instagram to Understand Cognitions and Affect towards Renewable Energy Infrastructures

Author

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  • Mariangela Vespa

    (Department of Psychology, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
    Institute for Future Energy and Material Flow Systems, Department of Environmental Psychology, Atenkesseler Str. 17, 66115 Saarbrücken, Germany)

  • Timo Kortsch

    (IU International University, Juri-Gagarin-Ring 152, 99084 Erfurt, Germany)

  • Jan Hildebrand

    (Institute for Future Energy and Material Flow Systems, Department of Environmental Psychology, Atenkesseler Str. 17, 66115 Saarbrücken, Germany)

  • Petra Schweizer-Ries

    (Department of Psychology, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
    Institute for Future Energy and Material Flow Systems, Department of Environmental Psychology, Atenkesseler Str. 17, 66115 Saarbrücken, Germany
    Integrated Institute for Sustainable Development, Bochum University for Applied Sciences, Am Hochschulcampus 1, 44801 Bochum, Germany)

  • Sara Alida Volkmer

    (Department of Economics, Chair of Marketing Zeppelin University, Am Seemooser Horn 20, 88045 Friedrichshafen, Germany
    Center for Digital Transformation, Professorship for Digital Marketing, School of Management, Technical University of Munich, Bildungscampus 9, 74076 Heilbronn, Germany)

Abstract

The research on people–place relations makes an important contribution to the understanding of the public responses to renewable energy technologies (RETs). Social media not only provides easy access to the sentiments and attitudes of online users towards RETs, but social media content can also shape the discourse, both on- and offline, about RETs. Hence, social media content analysis provides valuable insights into the public responses to RETs. However, as of now, only a small number of studies have investigated people–place relations in the context of the energy transition via online content. To address this lack of knowledge, this study aims to increase the understanding of people–place relations by investigating the relationship between the place scales mentioined in Instagram posts (categorized from local to planet) and the sentiments that are expressed in said posts, depending on different energy infrastructures (solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, powerlines, and renewable energy in general). Our analysis of 1500 Instagram posts shows that the place scales that are mentioned in the Instagram posts are related to some differences in the post emotionality, and that these effects differ across the different hashtags that are related to RETs. By using a sociocognitive approach, this study is the first to investigate Instagram posts in the context of the energy transition and people–place relationships.

Suggested Citation

  • Mariangela Vespa & Timo Kortsch & Jan Hildebrand & Petra Schweizer-Ries & Sara Alida Volkmer, 2022. "Not All Places Are Equal: Using Instagram to Understand Cognitions and Affect towards Renewable Energy Infrastructures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-19, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:7:p:4071-:d:782753
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    References listed on IDEAS

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