*5.1. Summary of the Results*

In summary, our results showed that the most important factor affecting phase change was the participation in the study. The longer the participants remained in the study, the higher was the chance that they progressed from the pre-decisional to pre-actional stage and from the actional to the post-actional stage. Moreover, the time of measurement affected energy monitoring.

We found no differences between the control groups and the experimental group. One explanation could be purely statistical, the power of the performed test was too low. That is, the effects we tested were too small to detect with the sample size we had. Another explanation, which seems more plausible, is that participation in such a demanding study even in the control group in which participants completed a number of questionnaires was an experience strong enough to affect changes. Numerous studies in psychology show that an investment of effort in some issues makes people value the given cause more [55]. In other words, effort invested could have given additional value to energy monitoring even in the control group. This interpretation could be additionally supported by the results showing that participants were more eager to engage in energy monitoring as the study progressed.

Participation in the study also affected attitudes towards environmental issues, but to a lesser extent. Thus, the participation in the study was more effective for a variable closer related to behaviors referring to the control of energy consumption.

Knowledge about energy market was correlated with participants' energy monitoring. This is quite an intuitive result as probably specific knowledge provided know-how for participants in the study. More surprising are the results that education was negatively related to energy monitoring. We may speculate that participants with higher education have more absorbing professional lives and spend more time in front of the computer. Therefore, they are less willing to control energy, using technology in their spare time.

For most of the participants, monitoring energy by means of SMP has similar pros and cons. The higher control over one's energy consumption and better energy management belonged to the biggest advantages of using SMP, whereas time consumption and low effectiveness in terms of financial savings were mentioned as the biggest disadvantages and barriers of regular SMP usage. For such consumers, the energy supplier should offer automatic transmission of e.g., daily reports on energy consumption or information on exceeding a given level of energy consumption (e.g., daily limit set by the energy consumer according to his own needs). Such services could increase the level of interest and engagement in SMP usage.
