Encouraging College Students to Support Pro-Environment Behavior: Effects of Direct versus Indirect Rewards

Ways to increase the delivery of a special thank-you card following behavior that protected the environment or helped another person were addressed. In Study 1, direct rewards for the target behavior were compared with indirect rewards for making a promise to emit the target behavior. Rewards for promising to give out thank-you cards resulted in the most participation and led to the most cards used per participant. In Study 2, students in one class received coupons for a raffle if they signed a petition to hand out two or more thank-you cards (indirect rewards). In a second class, students got one opportunity to win prizes in a raffle for each card delivered (direct rewards). Significantly more cards were distributed in the Direct Reward condition. However, significantly more students handed out at least one card in the Indirect Reward condition. Implications for encouraging college students to support pro-environment and pro-social behaviors are discussed.