Promoting Source Reduction Behavior: The Role of Motivational Information
De Young, R., Duncan, A., Frank, J., Gill, N., Rothman, S., Shenot, J., Shotkin, A. & Zweizig, M. (1993). Promoting source reduction behavior: The role of motivational information. Environment and Behavior, 25, 1, 70-85.
Investigated the degree to which source reduction (SR) behavior in
households could be enhanced using economic and environmental rationales
among 103 grocery shoppers. An educational pamphlet was mailed to Ss who
were put into 4 treatment groups: a control and 3 experimental groups
(EGs). The EGs each received a pamphlet giving environmental, economic,
or a combination of environmental and economic rationales (EERs) to
reduce waste at the source. Both EERs for practicing SR led to
significant increases in reported SR behavior. The type of conservation
behavior promoted had an impact on the success of the interventions. Ss
were more likely to adopt home-based SR of nontoxics over either
store-based activities or activities involving toxics use reduction.
