Sociological Explanation of Electricity Consumption Pattern among Mazandaran Citizens

Energy and it overuse is currently considered as one of the most important environmental challenges in the world. Over-consumption of energy sources leads to challenges such as water and air pollution, crisis in depletion of renewable energy resources and thus many governments are trying to change pattern of energy consumption. The main goal of this research is to study the roles of demographic factors, attitudes and knowledge in explaining energy consumption behavior. The study covered a sample of 437 electricity customers under services of the West Mazandaran Power Distribution Company in 2014. The study uses survey method. To calculate the required sample, random sampling method was utilized. Questionnaire was used as the main instrument to collect the required data. Research findings showed that the subjects have expressed optimum level power consumption behavior. In addition, the findings showed that the surveyed people have expressed a rather high level of knowledge about energy consumption. Furthermore, the hypothesis test results showed that among investigated variables, only two variables namely, education and knowledge of energy consumption did not have a meaningful relationship. Finally lack of meaningful relationship between education and knowledge of energy consumption and electricity consumption behavior is explained.