Shifting to Sustainable Modes of Transportation in Boulder Colorado Using Incentives, Norms, Communication and Feedback

Cases
In order to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion, the Boulder City Council began to promote sustainable methods of transportation. Through public meetings, barriers to usin…

Reducing Lunchtime Garbage Produced by New Brunswick Students Using Prompts and Commitment

Cases
A literature review revealed that prompts and commitment were effective tools in reducing the amount of garbage produced at lunchtime. These behavior change tools were then integr…

Improving Energy Conservation With Effective Home Audit Programs in California Using Communication and Commitment

Cases
Aronson, E. (1990). Applying social psychology to desegregation and energy conservation. Special Issue: Illustrating the value of basic research. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 16, 1, 118-132.
The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in California provided a home audit program as a method to improve energy conservation. This initiative gave homeowners a free home ins…

Using Commitment and Communication to Increase Grass Cycling in Suburban Neighborhoods

Cases
Cobern, M. K., Porter, B.E., Leeming, F.C., & Dwyer, W.O. (1995). The effect of commitment on adoption and diffusion of grass cycling. Special Issue: Litter control and recycling. Environment and Behavior, 27, 2, 213-232.
First, a literature was conducted to identify the most effective behavior change tools to encourage grass cycling. Then, three homogeneous suburban neighborhoods were observed for…

Using Communication to Increase Participation in a Curbside Recycling Program in Claremont, Ca.

Cases
Burn, S. M. (1991). Social psychology and the stimulation of recycling behaviors: The block leader approach. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 21, 8, 611-629.
Claremont, California provides its citizens with a curbside recycling program. However, a procedure was needed to encourage non-recyclers to participate in the program. Based on i…

Communication and Commitment Improve Participation in Curbside Recycling in Claremont California

Cases
Burn, S. M., & Oskamp, S. (1986). Increasing community recycling with persuasive communication and public commitment. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 16, 1, 29-41.
Claremont California provides city residents with a curbside recycling program. In order to improve participation, a pilot program was designed. Based on a literature review, pers…

The Influence of Message Framing On University Student's Intent to Participate in Sustainable Behavior

Cases
Davis, J. J. (1995). The effects of message framing on response to environmental communications. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 72, 2, 285-299.
A literature review revealed how framing a communication can affect an individual's intent to participate in sustainable behaviors. Specifically, three types of message framing we…

Increasing Participation in Curbside Paper Recycling Using Verbal Prompts in Chicago

Cases
Spaccarelli, S., Zolik, E. & Jason, L. A. (1989-1990). Effects of verbal prompting and block characteristics on participation in curbside newspaper recycling. Journal of Environmental Systems, 19, 1, 45-57.
After conducting a literature review, prompts were incorporated into an intervention to increase newspaper recycling in a downtown Chicago neighborhood. To be optimally effective,…

Using Television Modeling to Reduce Energy Consumption in Roanoke,Virginia

Cases
Winett, R. A., Leckliter, I. N., Chinn, D. E., Stahl, B., & Love, S. Q. (1985). Effects of television modeling on residential energy conservation. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 18, 1, 33-44.
A literature review was conducted to identify behavior change tools that could be useful in reducing residential energy consumption. These behavior change tools were then incorpor…

Using Commitment to Reduce Energy Consumption in Iowa City

Cases
Pallak, M.S., D.A. Cook and J.J. Sullivan (1980). Commitment and Energy Conservation. In L. Bickman (ed.), Applied Social Psychology Annual 235-253, Beverley Hills, Ca: Sage.
First, a literature review identified public commitment as an effective tool for behavior change. In order to further investigate the effectiveness of commitment, this tool was in…

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