Strong structuration as an integrating framework for psychological and sociological perspectives

Abstract

This chapter discusses the ontological and methodological issues raised by differing degrees of integration of perspectives and levels of analysis. We discuss existing frameworks that loosely connect differing perspectives, such as the energy cultures and individual-social-material frameworks. Making our own contribution, we show how Stones’ ‘strong structuration’ can be used to theorise the role of agency in sociotechnical systems in a way that brings together psychological and sociological perspectives via methodological bracketing. The latter, in essence, involves sequences of closely related studies. Applying this perspective, we show how individual attitudes and beliefs in relation to a niche energy technology are influenced by experience of national economic and innovation policy environments, so connecting the psychological and structural.