IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i21p13887-d953396.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How to Effectively Promote Eco-Friendly Behaviors: Insights from Contextual Behavioral Science

Author

Listed:
  • Alison Stapleton

    (School of Psychology, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Louise McHugh

    (School of Psychology, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Maria Karekla

    (Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus)

Abstract

The rapidly increasing rate of climate change is a major threat of our time. Human behaviors contribute to climate change. These behaviors are malleable. To change human behavior in significant and sustainable ways, we need a scientific understanding of motivation and behavior change. One area in psychological science that provides precision, scope, and depth to our understanding of human behavior and motivation is contextual behavioral science (CBS). The current article provides an account of how CBS can provide real-world solutions to promoting positive behavior change to reduce human-induced climate issues. Specifically, we will outline six evidence-based considerations for organizations aiming to promote pro-environmental behaviors through messaging, advertising, and social marketing. Practical examples are provided across all six considerations to promote behavior change to reduce the rapidly increasing rate of climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Alison Stapleton & Louise McHugh & Maria Karekla, 2022. "How to Effectively Promote Eco-Friendly Behaviors: Insights from Contextual Behavioral Science," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-14, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:21:p:13887-:d:953396
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/21/13887/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/21/13887/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Schneider, Susan M & Sanguinetti, Angela, 2021. "Positive reinforcement is just the beginning: Associative learning principles for energy efficiency and climate sustainability," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt02n7j1cn, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    2. Laura S. Loy & Karen R. S. Hamann & Gerhard Reese, 2020. "Navigating through the jungle of information. Informational self-efficacy predicts climate change-related media exposure, knowledge, and behaviour," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 163(4), pages 2097-2116, December.
    3. Venkatachalam, L., 2008. "Behavioral economics for environmental policy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(4), pages 640-645, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chakravarty, Sujoy & Mishra, Rajan, 2019. "Using social norms to reduce paper waste: Results from a field experiment in the Indian Information Technology sector," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-1.
    2. Grolleau, Gilles & Midler, Estelle & Mzoughi, Naoufel, 2017. "Behavioral Insights for the Analysis of Green Tips," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 258-262.
    3. Tommaso Luzzati & Ilaria Tucci & Pietro Guarnieri, 2022. "Information overload and environmental degradation: learning from H.A. Simon and W. Wenders," Papers 2209.01039, arXiv.org.
    4. Ann-Kathrin Koessler & Stefanie Engel, 2021. "Policies as Information Carriers: How Environmental Policies May Change Beliefs and Consequent Behavior," International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics, now publishers, vol. 15(1-2), pages 1-31, July.
    5. Welsch, Heinz, 2009. "Implications of happiness research for environmental economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(11), pages 2735-2742, September.
    6. Wensing, Joana & Caputo, Vincenzina & Carraresi, Laura & Bröring, Stefanie, 2020. "The effects of green nudges on consumer valuation of bio-based plastic packaging," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    7. Cem Keskin & M. Pınar Mengüç, 2018. "On Occupant Behavior and Innovation Studies Towards High Performance Buildings: A Transdisciplinary Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-33, October.
    8. Pasche, Markus, 2014. "Soft Paternalism and Nudging - Critique of the Behavioral Foundations," MPRA Paper 61140, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Clot, Sophie & Stanton, Charlotte Y., 2014. "Present bias predicts participation in payments for environmental services: Evidence from a behavioral experiment in Uganda," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 162-170.
    10. Mzoughi, Naoufel, 2011. "Farmers adoption of integrated crop protection and organic farming: Do moral and social concerns matter?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(8), pages 1536-1545, June.
    11. Grüner, S. & Fietz, A., 2014. "Chancen, Grenzen und Barrieren staatlicher Regulierungspolitik – Eine verhaltensökonomische Betrachtung unter Berücksichtigung des individuellen landwirtschaftlichen Unternehmensverhaltens," Proceedings “Schriften der Gesellschaft für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften des Landbaues e.V.”, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA), vol. 49, March.
    12. Yoshihiro Hamaguchi, 2021. "Environmental policy and social status preference for education in an Uzawa–Lucas model," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(3), pages 456-468, July.
    13. Kawata, Yukichika, 2011. "Decision Making under Ecological Regime Shift: An Experimental Economic Approach," MPRA Paper 30016, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Jason Shogren & Gregory Parkhurst & Prasenjit Banerjee, 2010. "Two Cheers and a Qualm for Behavioral Environmental Economics," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 46(2), pages 235-247, June.
    15. Luisa Corrado & Andrea Fazio & Alessandra Pelloni, 2020. "Pro-environmental attitudes, local environmental conditions and recycling behavior," Working Paper series 20-21, Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis, revised Nov 2021.
    16. Elisabeth Gsottbauer & Jeroen Bergh, 2011. "Environmental Policy Theory Given Bounded Rationality and Other-regarding Preferences," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 49(2), pages 263-304, June.
    17. Zhuangai Li & Xia Cao, 2021. "Effectiveness of China’s Labeling and Incentive Programs for Household Energy Conservation and Policy Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-17, February.
    18. Angela Münch, 2010. "Agri-Environmental Schemes and Grassland Biodiversity: Another Side of the Coin," Jena Economics Research Papers 2010-026, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.
    19. Achtnicht, Martin, 2011. "Do environmental benefits matter? Evidence from a choice experiment among house owners in Germany," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(11), pages 2191-2200, September.
    20. Beretti, Antoine & Figuières, Charles & Grolleau, Gilles, 2013. "Behavioral innovations: The missing capital in sustainable development?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 187-195.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:21:p:13887-:d:953396. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.