Creating Meaningful Experiences of Sufficiency: A longitudinal field study to examine student housing settings to enhance the meaning of shared living and sufficiency

Addressing the ecological crisis requires demand-side mitigation, but sufficiency strategies which aim to limit consumption are regarded as detrimental to well-being, creating a barrier to necessary change. This study investigated the Collegium Academicum (CA) student home where shared living is practised with a strong focus on sufficiency, characterised by large communal areas and self-organised infrastructures. We examined whether such sufficiency settings can relate to a changed perspective on shared living and sufficiency compared to ordinary shared living environments. Data from 159 residents—73 from the CA and 86 from a standard student home—revealed that CA residents found greater meaning in shared living, showed more positive attitudes towards sufficiency, and stronger shared living intentions. Specific experiences of shared living had a delayed positive effect on perceived meaningfulness. These findings suggest that sufficiency settings can strengthen sufficiency-oriented lifestyles. Future research should investigate these settings using rigorous pre-post study designs.

field study

meaning

setting

sufficiency