11 Comments
-
Anti-litter Behavior Spurred by Modeling
2012-11-29 21:14:46 UTC
I'm trying to find a specific study illustrating that motivation alone does not yield behavioral buy-in. As I recall, community members self-selected to attend a public lecture on conservation/neatness. Upon exit, they found parking lot strewn with litter. Despite their interest/concern/motivation, they did not pick up unless behavior was modeled. Also interested in any other study (regardless of subject) demonstrating insufficiency of motivation.
Robert Rowell
educator
United States -
Re: Promoting Sustainable Behaviour in a 'Frontier' Type Town
2011-03-08 16:48:49 UTC
Fiona,
Whatever meets with opposition, don't do. Far be it from me to say what is meaningful and motivational for the citizens of this town -- ask them. I wonder if there might not be some existing group that would find itself in agreement with the aims you wish to promote.
Robert Rowell
educator
United States -
Re: Tree Vandalism
2010-11-09 12:40:45 UTC
Hi, Tom. Interesting project.
Sounds to me as if you *already* have a community that places high value on natural surrounds; it is just that some community members value a view of the bay obove a tree.
You want (1) potential vandals not to harm trees; (2) other citizens to report vandalism; and (3) cops to enforce the law.
For the potential vandals, we want some combination of (a) making it harder for them to vandalize, (b) decrease their desire vandalize, and (c) not ticking them off (reduce or eliminate the trigger).
Lighting, patrols, neighborhood watches, sensors and metal fences or trunk casings would all decrease ability. (Granted, some of these silly ideas make me smile.) Decreasing motivation might be achieved by the great education ideas suggested by Julie and Bernie, by establishing and maintaining some bay view spots and using landscaping to enhance those vistas rather than obscure them, and increasing the risks and costs. Social acceptance is one cost -- editorials and social media demonstrating support for arboriculture could make vandalism less acceptable. As for triggers, what exactly is it that sets these folks off and makes them want to go fire up their chain saws?
Police might respond to political, financial, legal or social pressures. Maybe even moral or aesthetic pressures. Motivation. Ability is probably already there, unless they are too tied up with other duties. And it takes a trigger, a phone call reporting the incident and requesting attendion.
Bob Rowell
Robert Rowell
educator
United States -
Re: Promotion of Sustainable Practices Pledge (examples)
2010-10-21 11:43:58 UTC
Previously in this thread, I had mentioned a study in which experimental groups reduced a behavior after being led to believe that behavior was indicative of a group with which they did not want to be associated. Christie Manning found the reference, which I had lost. Here it is:
Shifting signals to help health: Using identity signaling to reduce risky health behaviors.
Author Berger, Jonah1; Rand, Lindsay2
Affiliation (1)Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, US; (2)Psychology Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, US
Source Journal of Consumer Research. Special Issue: Consumer welfare. Vol 35(3), Oct 2008, pp. 509-518
This research examines how identity-based interventions can improve consumer health. Results of laboratory and field experiments reveal that associating risky health behaviors with a social identity people do not want to signal can contaminate the behaviors and lead consumers to make healthier choices. College freshman reported consuming less alcohol (experiment 2), and restaurant patrons selected less fattening food (experiment 3), when drinking alcohol and eating junk food were presented as markers of avoidance groups. These findings demonstrate that identity- based interventions can shift the identities associated with real-world behaviors, thereby improving the health of populations.
Robert Rowell
educator
United States -
Re: Promotion of Sustainable Practices Pledge (examples)
2010-10-17 11:29:36 UTC
Sally Paulin,
I see from your Twitter feed that you have over 40,000 pledges! That's terrific! On your web site I see that you use and promote your efforts in Facebook and You Tube. What methodologies are you finding effective?
Robert Rowell
educator
United States -
Re: Promotion of Sustainable Practices Pledge (examples)
2010-10-17 00:06:36 UTC
John,
Very intriguing question. I recently read an article about "outgroups". When people in the study were led to believe that a certain behavior was characteristic of a group they definitely did not want to be like, they adopted the opposite behavior. So perhaps "Adults over 30 almost never make pledges to support the environment. They don't go to www.xxxx" might be effective. (Want to check veracity, though... )
Conversely, modeling is effective sometimes. "Celebrity X [you'd have to find an actual role model who actually did something] supports sustainability. So can you, at www.xxxxxxxxx"
Kids are especially susceptible to peer pressure. "3 out of 10 of your friends probably pledged at www.xxxxx" [Again, you want something truthful.]
Framing may be effective. Set a high bar, then pledging online is a low one by comparison. "Give $50 to Thousand Oaks env. sustainability. Don't have $55? You can pledge your support at www.xxxxx"
Get some kids together, ask them what would keep them from going online to make pledge, then have a city-wide or school-wide contest to formulate cool phrases to overcome those barriers. The contest by itself would generate interest, and the kids (and only the kids) can give you information on what the barriers are, and kids can provide the best lingo.
Robert Rowell
educator
United States -
Re: Reducing Water Use in Luxury Condo
2010-09-07 01:11:26 UTC
Jo
I take it you have conducted surveys with the condominium's residents to determine what their barriers are to implementing water conservation practices. You mention some are resistent, even hostile to the idea, feeling that they are entitled and that conservation would be an imposition.
And perhaps cost is not a barrier? I suspect that knowledge is not, but only investigation would tell.
The trick, obviously, is to make implementation more attractive than not, removing or reducing obstacles, and engaging the owners to inspire action.
Your idea of using norms would seem to have promise. What is the fashion in super-upscale places, what do their role models do (does Buffett use conserving appliances?).
How much money would be saved if residents adopted appropriate measures? I don't suppose (but don't know) that that in itself would lead anyone there to action, especially since no single household could see the results of their particular actions. But that sum might be used as an incentive of some sort--concert tickets for residents if the building achieved some goal, perhaps.
Obtaining committment is sometimes effective; getting individuals to agree to do something, optimally in a public manner, might not only induce them to actually act but encourage others to do so as well. Of course you don't know if this would likely be effective until after doing some survey or focus group investigation.
Just doing something might be a barrier. Having catalogs delivered to each household with facilitation for filling out the forms, placing orders, and making appointments might be what is needed to get people to take action. ("Mrs. Smith, here is your catalog. I'll be back next Saturday to take your order and we can schedule an appointment with the plumber at the same time.") Again, only prior investigation would let you know if this would be a likely approach.
Using defaults might also be good. Offer a range of possibilities, including standard conservation devices, fancy ones, and "thank you, not at this time" options, with the standard being the default unless they chose another.
Robert Rowell
educator
United States -
Re: Animation
2010-08-23 17:01:46 UTC
Hi, Amy
Part of the question is what results do you want to obtain and what are the barriers that inhibit people from 'delivering' those results. A common assumption is that more information is the key--if the fish teaches a large enough quantity of the right facts, people will "do the right thing." This is only sometimes true.
Demonstrating the actual popularity of an action might be helpful in removing barriers. Publicizing recognized models (the mayor, a rock star) might do the trick, or part of it. If you were planning a campaign, you would want to research what the actual barriers were. If this is a class assignment, imagining and assigning barriers might be an informative strategy.
I can imagine 'Fred Fish-approved' yard watering practices, with You-Tube postings with a Fred cutout, an art contest sponsored by the fish, reminder stickers using the fish, discrete but fashionable fish lawn signs, animated interviews between fish and man-on-the-street or authority figures.
The entity sponsoring the campaign could be important. How do people respond to a campaign from the utility company, local government or a school?
As for topics, sweeping rather than hosing down a driveway, water conserving landscaping, street drains as possible pollution point sources, appropriate crops and ag practices, watering only on alternate days, use of devices such as low-flow showerheads, local use and return of water as suggested by Wayne, contaminant runoff as suggested by Susan.
Robert Rowell
educator
United States -
Re: Saving water in Australian Desert
2010-05-27 00:48:40 UTC
Jess,
Aren't your Aboriginal communities far more attuned to community values and ownership that the rest of us usually are? Is there a way to tap into that, and their identification with the land? Or is this just Western romantic mythology?
Robert Rowell
educator
United States -
Re: Engage Audiences regarding Ocean Health
2010-05-25 20:16:42 UTC
Hi, Sheree
Lots of good advice posted by Steve. Several of the points deal with addressing YOUR audience, not just "another audience". Who are you going to address? What is their background in this area? What ultimate outcome do you wish?
Using dire information -- threats -- can be counterproductive if specific and practible counter action are not provided. Getting people to agree to a small thing, e.g wearing a button, improves the liklihood of achieving greater action later. When people see people around them taking some action, it is more likely that they will adopt the same behavior. Committment is likely to be more powerful if it is made public.
I would absolutely love the opportunity to be a soundboard for you as you develop your presentation. rowell_robert@yahoo.com
Bob Rowell
Robert Rowell
educator
United States
0 Recommends
You haven't saved any recommendations.
Messaging 0 colleagues
