The impact of personal metering in the management of a natural resource crisis: A social dilemma analysis

A field study and scenario study were conducted to investigate the impact o f a structural solution in the management of a natural resource dilemma: th e effects of individual metering in a water shortage. It was Predicted that metering would be beneficial in promoting conservation, in particular; whe n people experienced a shortage. Consistent with expectations, the results of both studies revealed that conservation efforts were greater among meter ed (vs. unmetered) participants when they perceived the water shortage as s evere. Additional analyses suggested that the positive effect of metering c ould be Partially explained by a greater concern with the collective costs of overconsumption during the draught. Our findings suggest that structural solutions, such as metering, may produce concomitant effects that extend b eyond the outcome structure of the social dilemma.