Professor Her Social Sciences Psychological Underpinnings of Promoting Environmentally Sustainable Behaviors and Policies Professor Her Social Sciences

Outcomes By the end of the session, I hope you can--- Understand the psychological principles related to behavior change Provide of Usable Information Cash/Tangible Rewards Verbal or Written Feedback to Promote Efficacy Social Norms Explain why a research perspective is important when creating behavioral change initiatives, campaigns, or strategies

Which disciplines study behavioral change? Behaviorism (Learning Psychology) The scientific study of how experience or practice results in a relatively permanent change in behavior Social Psychology The scientific study of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by other people Environmental Psychology The scientific study of how people influence the environment and how the environment influences people Behavioral Economics—Environmental “the hybrid offspring of psychology and economics” a branch of economics that studies how social, cognitive, and emotional factors influence economic decisions.

Why an Experimental Approach? Experimental methods and tools help us test the effects of relevant variables on environmentally protective behaviors. Intuitive interventions do not always work

Changing a Behavior Pick a habit/behavior Using a refillable water bottle Idling while waiting to pick up your partner at work/school Hanging laundry rather than using the dryer Using public transportation Littering Exercising What are some ways you can get people to start adopting the new behavior?

Education Attitude Change Behavioral Change “The Rationale” Education Attitude Change Behavioral Change

Environmental Ad #1 1971 Ad Council Environmental Advertisement Said to be one of the most memorable and successful ads of the 20th Century. Works for instigating attitude change, but does not provide any information to practically change behavior

Assumptions About Behavioral Change 1 Reinforcement Behaviors, emotions, and thoughts don’t necessarily correspond. “Educating” people often does not change either their attitudes or behaviors. Even when attitudes change, behaviors don’t necessarily follow. Delayed reinforcement!

Climate Change Scary!!!!!! Because?????

Public Perceptions: Climate Change & Environment National Public Opinion Polls: 82% - Climate change is real (60% caused by human activities)1. 65% - concerned “a great deal” or “a fair amount” about climate change2. 53% - Climate change is one of the most serious long-term issues facing our country3. 1Fox News Survey, 2007; 2Pew Research Center, 2008; 3Presidential Debate on Science Survey, 2008; 4Clean Air Partnership & Vanderbilt University, 2003 - 2007

APA Task Force on the Interface Between Psychology and Global Climate Change Uncertainty – Research has shown that uncertainty over climate change reduces the frequency of “green” behavior. Mistrust – Evidence shows that most people don’t believe the risk messages of scientists or government officials. Denial – A substantial minority of people believe climate change is not occurring or that human activity has little or nothing to do with it, according to various polls. Undervaluing Risks –many people believe environmental conditions will worsen in 25 years. While this may be true, this thinking could lead people to believe that changes can be made later. Lack of Control – People believe their actions would be too small to make a difference and choose to do nothing. Habit – Ingrained behaviors are extremely resistant to permanent change while others change slowly. Habit is the most important obstacle to pro-environmental behavior

Assumptions About Behavioral Change Many behaviors that are predictable are not economically “rational” We often don’t know why we do what we do We can’t always tell when we’re being influenced Many things that influence us do so below the threshold of consciousness Cialdini’s Influence: Science and Practice Charles Duhigg The Power of Habits

Strategies for Promoting Behavioral Change Provide of Usable Information Cash/Tangible Rewards Verbal or Written Feedback to Promote Efficacy Social Norms

I. Usable Information

Provide Usable Information Environmental Ads Green NYC Ads - Practical Ways to Behavior Change

Think About the Behavior You Wanted to Change What are some ways you could use usable information to get people to start adopting the new behavior?

II. Rewards/Reinforcement

Operant Any behavior by which an individual operates on his or her environment

Rewards

Cash/Tangible Rewards

note that symbolic things can also represent a consequence (e. g *note that symbolic things can also represent a consequence (e.g. getting a Hummer may indicate higher social status vs. riding the bus)

Social Meaning can have ‘value’ The social meaning or symbolic significance behaviors will determine their probability of occurrence, e.g., If behaviors like, public transport, or recycling connote low status, they will be avoided.

The Habit Loop: Cue as a Reward 2. 1. 3. Craving – but for what? Cue – the trigger that sets off the routine Routine – the ‘habit’ you do Reward – how the craving is satisfied (can be different rewards) CRAVING From the Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

From the Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

From the Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg The Habit Loop From the Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Think About the Behavior You Wanted to Change What are some ways you could provide immediate reinforcement to get people to start adopting the new behavior? Could be positive or negative reinforcement What did RecycleBank do to engage the consumer? N

III. Feedback to confirm we are good at what we do

Verbal or Written Feedback

Feedback We are less motivated to engage in behaviors that we feel are ineffective. Particularly important for frequent & easy to change behaviors. Promoting Efficacy: Message framing Stress the connection between behaviors and outcomes. Feedback Feedback meters associated with 5 to 60% reduction in energy use. Continuous feedback is most effective (feedback meters) Periodic feedback is better than no feedback (public announcements) Petersen et al. (2007)

Think About the Behavior You Wanted to Change What are some ways you could use feedback to get people to start adopting the new behavior?

IV. Social Norms

Using Social Norms Social Norms: Pressure to comply (social approval) Pressure to conform (popularity, fitting in) We often change our behavior to accommodate social norms. 75% of participants gave an obviously wrong answer (Asch, 1951). X A B C

Social Norm Example: Petrified Forest Experiment Message Framing is Important and can have boomerang effects Some Visitors Saw the Old Sign (Negative norm) “Many past visitors have removed petrified wood from the Park, changing the natural state of the Petrified Forest.” pictures of three visitors taking wood. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Other Visitors Saw the New Sign 1 (Positive norm) “That vast majority of past visitors have left the petrified wood in the park, preserving the natural state of the Petrified Forest picture of visitors looking at a piece of wood.  Other Visitors Saw the New Sign 2 “Please don’t remove the petrified wood from the Park, in order to preserve the natural state of the Petrified Forest.” picture of a lone visitor stealing a piece of wood, with a red circle-and-bar symbol superimposed over his hand.

Boomerang effects - High Descriptive Norm Establishes a negative norm Source: Cialdini et al. (under review). Activating and aligning social norms for persuasive impact. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Boomerang effects Establishes a positive norm - Low Descriptive Norm

Boomerang effects - Injunctive Norm Even though a negative message, effective because the image is a nerdy tourist that nobody wants to be like (norm). Boomerang effects - Injunctive Norm

Results 8 Percentage of Marked Wood Stolen 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Don’t/It’s Bad Most Don’t Most Steal

Using Social Norms Message Framing Based on Norms: Sequoia National Park (Winter et al., 2000): “Many past visitors have gone off the established paths, changing the natural state of the Sequoias and vegetation in this park” “Please don't go off the established paths and trails in order to protect the Sequoias and natural vegetation in this park”

Old Message: This seems like a message that would solicit the desired result. That is because we are judging based on what WE would do. In the following experiment updated notes were left establishing social norms.

Social Norm Messages

Results Number of towels taken out of the room on the first towel replacement day. F(1,976)=10.74; p<.001). A 21% reduction in the number of towels used!

Think About the Behavior You Wanted to Change These door handles served as ‘cues’ for the routine. What are some ways you could use ‘cues’ to get people to start adopting the new behavior or ‘norm’? Specifically, how you make the behavior a social norm?

Final Thoughts “Educating” people often does not change their attitudes or behaviors. We might be more successful by just targeting the behavior without worrying about what people believe Harnessing the power of human nature is always a good bet