Public acceptance of load management : an analysis using a diffusion of innovation model

This study examines public acceptance of load management in two Tennessee communities. In studying public acceptance, the Rogers and Shoemaker model of the individual innovation-decision process is applied. Results of this application suggest that individuals who are more likely to know about load management in its early stages of diffusion into a community, have higher education, higher social status, greater social participation, and greater exposure to mass media and interpersonal channels of communication. However, the degree of knowledge of load management was not found to be associated with attitudes toward it or the intention to adopt or reject it. In addition, individuals are found to form attitudes and intentions toward adoption of load management despite little knowledge of its existence, as well as its purpose and/or function.

This study also discusses the usefulness of the Rogers and Shoemaker model in its application to studying public acceptance of load management. Findings suggest that the model is too general and the specific links in the model need to be more well defined and developed. The Fishbein and Ajzen model of the Attitude-Behavior relationship is applied in this study to show that indeed there are links in the Rogers and Shoemaker model that are too general.