Dr. Cialdini: Influencing Environmental Behavior

Hi folks,

This link gets you the transcript of Dr. Robert Cialdini's recent testimony in Congress about research with social marketing applications specific to environmental issues. It's a short, fascinating read. http://www.insideinfluence.com/current/10/testify.htm

Dr. Cialdini describes how the wrong message on interpretive signs increased theft of petrified wood from the national forest in Arizona, where the right words reduced theft below 3%. How the message printed on little cards in hotel bathrooms influenced 34% more people to re- use their towels to decrease water waste. And which message among several printed on doorhangers was most influential in reducing energy usage in a large California neighborhood. These cases show the power of social norms, which drives social behavior for good or bad. If you identify a behavior as being common, people are more likely to do it because 'everyone is doing it'. If you tell people how even a small amount of undesirable behavior is harmful to the environment and can say that most people are behaving responsibly, as Cialdini says "the social science evidence is plain that the information will serve both to validate and stimulate the desired action." We engaged this idea recently in developing interpretive signs for trails along the Salinas River and San Luis Obispo Creek. The signs were part of rehabitation projects to restore the habitat for steelhead, an endangered fish that lives in the ocean but returns to its birthcreek every year to breed. What began something like "Steelhead are struggling to survive human impacts such as erosion, pollution, habitat loss..." was re-written with a positive social norm focus: "Many people have worked hard to help wildlife that rely on this creek. As a result, steelhead numbers are increasing and there is reason to hope the species will continue to recover." This is literally true of course, although the increase of breeding steelhead in some waterways can currently be counted on one hand. Just as native plants growing on the banks again is important to steelhead recovery, so is the growing numbers of people who feel motivated to care. If you've read "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" you know Cialdini is a thoroughly engaging presenter who weaves marketing and social science research data with stories that explain six primary tools of influence: reciprocation, commitment and consistency, social proof, liking, authority, and scarcity. The book is a mainstay of marketing eduction. There are a few case studies in the book that pertain to influencing environmental behavior, but this testimony focuses on it. http://www.insideinfluence.com/current/10/testify.htm

Terre

GAIA GRAPHICS & ASSOCIATES
Terre Dunivant
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