Academic literature on the topic 'Collective pro-environmental behaviour'

This article applies the insights of social practice theory to the study of proenvironmental behaviour change through an ethnographic case study (nine months of participant observation and 38 semi-structured interviews) of a behaviour change initiative — Environment Champions — that occurred in a workplace. In contrast to conventional, individualistic and rationalist approaches to behaviour change, social practice theory de-centres individuals from analyses, and turns attention instead towards the social and collective organization of practices — broad cultural entities that shape individuals’ perceptions, interpretations and actions within the world. By considering the planning and delivery of the Environment Champions initiative, the article suggests that practice theory provides a more holistic and grounded perspective on behaviour change processes as they occur in situ. In so doing, it offers up a wide range of mundane footholds for behavioural change, over and above individuals’ attitudes or values. At the same time, it reveals the profound difficulties encountered in attempts to challenge and change practices, difficulties that extend far beyond the removal of contextual ‘barriers’ to change and instead implicate the organization of normal everyday life. The article concludes by considering the benefits and shortcomings of a practice-based approach emphasizing a need for it to develop a greater understanding of the role of social interactions and power relations in the grounded performance of practices.

In light of the importance of sustainable development, this study aims to deepen and extend our understanding of employees’ pro-environmental behaviour in the workplace in a Chinese context. Drawing on the complex phenomenon of social norms theory concerning misperceptions (i.e., pluralistic ignorance) and supervisor–subordinate guanxi (which is a Chinese term signifying human connection), we present a novel model in which employees’ pro-environmental behaviour is the result of multiple social and individual psychological factors. Through the integration of previous literature from the fields of the psychology of individuals, social psychology, and environmental psychology, the major assumption is that the pro-environmental behaviour of employees is affected by their level of pluralistic ignorance, environmental concern, and subjective norms; these, in turn, are influenced by supervisor–subordinate guanxi and social identity in the collective spirit of Chinese society. Data, which were analysed empirically, were gathered from 548 Chinese employees from the Jiangsu province of China. This study consequently reveals the subtle interplay among employees’ pluralistic ignorance, supervisor–subordinate guanxi, social identity, subjective norms, environmental concern, and their pro-environmental behaviour, while the deeper analysis offers considerable support for environmental management research and practice.

Abstract This pilot study examined the idea that use of a mobile technology can have positive consequences for both individual users and, indirectly, society. The augmented reality (AR) application used here is defined as a persuasive technology because it is intended to modify users’ attitudes or behaviours. The application was designed for personal use although it can generate indirect benefits for users’ communities as well as for users themselves. The application was tested on a small sample in a controlled setting in order to observe how it was used and to evaluate its efficacy as a source of information and tool for persuasion. The results showed that opinions of the AR device were generally positive; moreover, participants admitted that it improved their awareness of environmental issues. The strengths of this research are that it shows how the use of persuasive technologies can have collective benefits and demonstrates their informational power.

PurposeThe study analyses the factors that promote pro-environmental intentions and sustainable electronic waste management among households in a developing country context.Design/methodology/approachBased on a quantitative survey, a cross-sectional study of households was conducted. Data from 652 respondents were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).FindingsAmong the findings, environmental values was the major influencer of pro-environmental intentions, accounting for 54.8% of its variance. Whilst pro-environmental intention was hypothesised as a key predictor of sustainable waste management behaviours, results showed that sustainable e-waste management is mainly influenced by perceived behavioural control (β = 0.546, p = 0.000), followed by pro-environmental intentions (β = 0.302, p = 0.000). Perceived behavioural control, on the other hand, was influenced by perceived producer responsibility (β = 0.340, p = 0.000) and facilitating conditions (β = 0.141, p = 0.0.034).Research limitations/implicationsFirst, the study used a quantitative approach. The use of a mixed-methods approach could provide deeper insights into the determinants of sustainable e-waste management practices in a specific cultural context. Also due to the quantitative nature of the study, sustainable e-waste management was based on self-reports. Future studies may adopt longitudinal studies to validate self-reported behaviours with observation. Finally, the study does not include all constructs proposed by planned behaviour and norm activation theory. This is because the main aim of the study was to examine perceived behavioural control as an extrinsic motivator and environmental values as an intrinsic motivator to engage in sustainable waste management practices.Practical implicationsWaste is best managed at source, so the study recommends that producers of electronic equipment must reconsider their role in sustainable waste management, by taking physical and economic responsibility for the environmental costs of their products. Pro-environmental intentions must be encouraged; however, it is not sufficient to cause sustainable waste management behaviours. Consequently, governments must promote and encourage sustainable e-waste management among households by providing enabling policy conditions such as convenient e-waste collection points and positively reinforcing waste reduction, reuse and recycling behaviours. Also, a culture of environmental conservation should be encouraged among households.Originality/valueThe study explores the role of environmental values and perceived behavioural control as a source of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to engage in sustainable e-waste management. The inclusion of facilitating conditions and perceived producer responsibility is justified, based on the call for a collective approach towards electronic waste management. The results of the study throw more light on the tri-party approach, specifically, consumers, business and government role in developing and maintaining a sustainable approach towards the management of electronic waste in Ghana. Also, the study integrates planned behaviour and norm activation based on the strong sustainability argument.

Environmental education is a powerful tool for forming collective environmental awareness from primary school to higher education level. Based on this, this study aims to investigate environmental awareness and environmental behavior among students of a technological educational institution. Using the NEP Scale (Dunlap et al., 2010) through a questionnaire with students it sought to examine the relationship between consciousness and environmental behavior through variables like course, semester, gender and environmental education. The final data generated can be divided into two outcomes: a) environmental awareness, was not observed significant differences between the courses and also for the semesters of respondents. On the other hand, significantly higher levels of environmental awareness were found in women and students who studied environmental education before they enter higher education; b) the environmental behaviour, the highest levels of pro-environmental behavior were found in students of Environmental Engineering, the graduates, on women and college students who studied environmental education before starting higher education. The study results show compliance with other research and suggest area researchers a deepening of the factors that influence these results.

The heterogeneity and dynamism of people make addressing user diversity and its categorisation critical factors, which should be carefully considered when developing pro-environmental strategies and interventions. Nevertheless, the complexities of individuals complicates the creation of modelling and classification systems. The aforementioned issue opens a research opportunity, which should be tackled to improve the development of human-centric systems and processes. Throughout the present piece of research, our objective is to bridge that gap by extracting knowledge and insights relating to how to address user diversity when designing technologies considering sustainable behaviour. For this, we explore the possibilities of the FOX model—an early meta-model to approach the diversity of individuals when addressing pro-environmental behaviour—to classify and understand individuals while taking their heterogeneity into account. After introducing the model, a qualitative survey of eight experts is conducted. From this study, relevant findings are analysed and exposed. Taking into account the gathered knowledge, three user profiles are developed, based on the dimensions proposed by the model. Furthermore, scenarios are created for each profile, presenting three case studies where different application modes of the model are described (personalised interventions, prediction and forecasting, and individual and collective interventions). Finally, the extracted findings are analysed, discussing the main issues related to the development of pro-environmental technologies and systems.

Human activities are a key driver of many environmental problems the world is facing today, including climate change, the disruption of biogeochemical cycles, and biodiversity loss. Behavioural changes at the individual and household level are needed to reduce humanity’s environmental impact, but people also need the capacity to behave in a sustainable way. If their well-being is negatively impacted or if behaving sustainably is too time consuming or too expensive, people might be less inclined to change their behaviour. In this article, we look at the determinants of different types of pro-environmental behaviour and how these are associated with their experienced levels of well-being. More specifically, we focus on the determinants of behaviours that influence both the ecological footprint (EF) and satisfaction with life. In our analysis we include socio-demographic characteristics and a number of psychological antecedents of pro-environmental behaviour (PEB). The data we use was collected in Flanders (Belgium) and allows us to calculate the EF of each respondent individually. Our main conclusions are threefold. First, even if individuals are provided with opportunities to behave in a more sustainable way, they do not always do so (e.g., richer people on average have a higher EF). Efforts could be put in place at the collective side (e.g., public infrastructure) to stimulate people to reduce their environmental impact. Second, as we distinguish seven EF components, we are able to show differential effects of each of the determinants. Third, the association between PEB and satisfaction with life is not strong: only the type of housing is significantly associated with satisfaction with life. Related to that, the psychological antecedents of PEB are only associated with the EF, not with satisfaction with life.

(1) Background: Sustainability is a crucial priority and a critical part of the modern world. Promoting pro-social values to the younger generation is an issue addressed throughout this paper. The present study aims to answer the question of whether generosity, as a positive attitude towards others, and sustainability, as a positive attitude towards the environment, are related. (2) Methods: The current research includes a sample of 4333 adolescents, ages 14 and 15, who attend schools in Bihor County, Romania. (3) Results: The regression analysis indicates a significant correlation between sustainable values, operationalized through adolescent involvement in environmental organisations, and generosity. (4) Conclusions: Sustainable behaviour can be considered a form of giving that contributes to the collective good. Our research outlines a significant need for a new set of competencies provided through a newly designed curriculum and/or through focused training, in order to cultivate generosity across cultures, ecologies, and generations; at the same time, we also highlight the significant role that the joint efforts of the school-family-library trifecta in supporting this goal.

Purpose This paper aims to introduce key concepts from practice theory (PT) to the social change agenda and draw on the unique contributions of the social marketing field. PT has underpinned a growing stream of research in pro-environmental studies seeking to reduce impacts of particular behaviours, but it remains theoretical. By drawing on social marketing’s applied roots, this paper introduces a practice-theoretical intervention planning process (P-TIPP) which frames the unique contribution of social marketing in behaviour change and foregrounds practice- not individual-level change. Design/methodology/approach The P-TIPP draws on the total process planning model, introducing the concept of “practice as entity” and “practice as performance” to frame intervention planning tasks. The process locates the contribution of social marketing within a transdisciplinary framework which emphasises transforming collective conventions. Findings This is a conceptual paper, but the possibility for PT to make a significant contribution to the world of social marketing is outlined. Research limitations/implications P-TIPP is untested. Also, practices can be difficult to identify and somewhat abstract. Finally, it can be challenging to introduce the approach to policy, funding and practitioner procedures. Practical implications The implications of P-TIPP are that social change interventions are devised, underpinned and planned using insights from PT, such as the way behavioural patterns fit into broader understandings of practice. The subsequent social change agenda will be inherently transdisciplinary, sustainable and reduce focus on individual power to change. Originality/value This paper is a first attempt at exploring what PT, and social marketing can learn from each other for the future effectiveness of social change activity.

PurposeEnvironmental management researchers stress the need to study the determinants of employee pro-environmental behaviour in different cultural settings. This study focusses on employee voluntary pro-environmental behaviours in Poland. It aims (1) to examine the scope of employee green behaviours in the private and public sphere and (2) to explore the relationship between individual motivation and pro-environmental behaviours.Design/methodology/approachSelf-administered questionnaire was used for collecting data from 325 Polish employees. A structural equation modelling was applied to estimate the effects of individual motivation on pro-environmental behaviours in both private and public sphere. The psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Motivation Toward the Environment Scale based on self-determination theory were checked beforehand.FindingsPolish employees mainly engage in private-sphere pro-environmental behaviours. The engagement of employees in green behaviours is driven by autonomous motivation. Intrinsic motivation is a more important driver in the case of private-sphere pro-environmental behaviours; integrated regulation in the public sphere. The relationship between controlled motivation and employee pro-environmental behaviours in both spheres is unclear.Research limitations/implicationsAs the data were gathered amongst Polish employees, the proposed model may be applied in culture-specific conditions in Poland.Originality/valueThis paper explores the extent to which individual motivation may foster pro-environmental behaviour of employees. Moreover, it offers the validation of the Polish version of the Motivation Toward the Environment Scale.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a variety of factors on environmental attitudes and behaviors. Studies have addressed a number of issues that are related to environmental matters. This examination extends the research in this area by incorporating educational attainment, political ideology, gender, marriage and family formation, religiosity and subjective spirituality, race and ethnicity, as well as several sociodemographic influences. The 2010 General Social Survey is selected for the analysis because it is the most recent data available and contains items pertaining to environmental concern and behavior, and the independent and control variables. Directions for future research in the area will be discussed.
ID: 031001455; System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Adviser: David Gay.; Co-advisers: Jana Jasinski, James Wright.; Title from PDF title page (viewed July 3, 2013).; Thesis (M.A.)--University of Central Florida, 2012.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 38-42).
M.A.
Masters
Sociology
Sciences
Applied Sociology

This study approaches pro-environmental behavior aspects and the variables that can influence it, regarding generation and destiny of solid residues originated on restaurant activities in the city of Campos do Jordão, SP, as seen by restaurant owners and employees. The adopted methodology was the Stern proposal to classify the pro-environmental behavior with focus in two proposed types: environmental activism and environmentalism in the private sphere. Results do not evidence environmental activism; there were indications of proenvironmental activism in the private sphere. The most mentioned pro-environmental behavior was the residue sorting and separation in different types, for selective collection. The purchase decision by restaurants did not highlight the consideration of environmental questions. Immediate costs product price indicates what will be purchased. Personal competences to perform residue separation are present. The environmental concern, noticed in interviewees opinions and even their decision do participate in this study, allows to suppose a pro-environmental attitude. Contextual factors seem decisive. The organization of public systems facilitate selective collection of solid residues is probably responsible for this pro-environmental behavior being mentioned more frequently. As a result, among the group studied, the increase in public policies for selective collection has the major probability of adherence; the group can approve other policies, if contextual conditions are established enhancing their advantages making the behavior possible.
Este trabalho abordou aspectos de comportamentos pró-ambientais e de variáveis que podem influenciá-los, no tocante à geração e destinação de resíduos sólidos derivados da atividade do restaurante na transformação de alimentos, na visão de proprietários e funcionários de restaurantes em Campos do Jordão, SP. Adotou-se a proposta de Stern para classificação de Comportamentos Pró-ambientais, com foco em dois tipos propostos, Ativismo Ambiental e Ambientalismo na Esfera Privada. Os resultados não evidenciam Ativismo Ambiental. Houve indicações de Ambientalismo na Esfera Privada. O comportamento próambiental mais mencionado neste estudo foi a separação dos resíduos por tipos, para participação na coleta seletiva. O processo de decisão de compras do restaurante não evidencia considerar questões ambientais entre seus parâmetros. Os custos mais imediatos os preços do produto controlam o que será comprado. Capacidades pessoais para executar a separação dos resíduos estão presentes. A preocupação com o meio ambiente, que permeia as falas dos entrevistados e mesmo a sua decisão de participar desta pesquisa permite supor uma atitude próambiental. Dos fatores investigados, os contextuais parecem decisivos. A organização pelo poder público de sistemas que favorecem a coleta seletiva é provavelmente responsável pela maior menção desse comportamento próambiental. Concluise que, dentre o grupo estudado, a ampliação da coleta seletiva é das estratégias de política pública a que tem maior probabilidade de adesão e que o grupo pode aderir a outras, se estabelecidas condições contextuais que evidenciem suas vantagens e que tornem possível o comportamento.

Tourism and Sport
Ph.D.
Corporate social marketing (CSM) refers to "a means whereby a corporation supports the development and/or implementation of a behavior change campaign intended to improve public health, safety, the environment, or community well-being" (Kotler & Lee, 2005a, p.114). The examination of CSM by professional sport organizations (PSOs) is significant since these organizations have the potential to serve as a particularly meaningful vehicle for promoting socially beneficial ideas and behavior (Chalip, 2006; Kaufman & Wolff, 2010; Loakimidis, 2007; Smith & Westerbeek, 2007). Despite this, little investigation has been undertaken in this research area (Irwin, Irwin, Miller, Somes, & Richey, 2010; Sparvero, 2010). Furthermore, no comprehensive framework exists that explains the process of how CSM influences consumer voluntary behavior in general business disciplines (Du, Sen, & Bhattacharya, 2008). The purpose of this study was to address this gap and investigate the role of corporate credibility in understanding the process of how PSOs influence consumer voluntary behavior through their CSM initiatives. The current research focused on corporate credibility based on previous research findings indicating that the credibility of a message source greatly influences the persuasiveness of its communication (e.g., Hovland, Janis, & Kelley, 1953; Pornpitakpan, 2004). This study developed a theoretical model positing that consumers would formulate their perceptions regarding the credibility of a PSO on supporting environmental protection ("environmental credibility") based on: (1) characteristics of the organization, (2) characteristics of the CSM initiative, and (3) characteristics of the cause. Environmental credibility, in turn, was expected to influence consumer pro-environmental behavior measured by daily recycling involvement and recycling intentions during the PSO's home games. The model further proposed that value congruence would have mediating and moderating effects on the relationship between environmental credibility and pro-environmental behavior. To test this theoretical model, the study collected data from fans of two PSOs that currently operate environmental initiatives. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was employed to analyze the data (n = 368) obtained through web-based questionnaires. The SEM results indicated that the following four of the eight hypothesized antecedents of environmental credibility had significant positive effects: general credibility, perceived effort, perceived impact, and cause importance. Furthermore, environmental credibility was found to positively influence the two recycling behaviors as expected. Contrary to the theoretical propositions, however, the results did not find support for the positive mediating and moderating effect of value congruence. Overall, the findings of this study contribute to the literature by highlighting the role of corporate credibility when PSOs engage in CSM initiatives. Moreover, this research, as well as future endeavors, helps PSOs become an effective vehicle for promoting socially beneficial behavior, which ideally can lead to positive social change.
Temple University--Theses

Plastic is creating serious environmental concerns. Social norms can help reduce unsustainable behavior, especially when the referent is socially close to the individual. The present study aimed to examine the effect of referent specificity in dynamic norms on intention to reduce plastic use and the role of collective pride as a mediator in this relationship. Social identification was also tested for its moderating effect on the relationship between referent specificity and intention. Participants were randomly exposed to dynamic norms with a specific referent (college students, n =57), general referent (Portuguese, n = 49) or no norm exposure (control group, n = 64) and answered a questionnaire about collective pride and pro-environmental intention. We hypothesized participants in the specific condition would have higher intention compared to the general and control conditions (H1), that this effect would be stronger for high identifiers with the referent (H2), and that collective pride would mediate the link between referent specificity and intention (H3). Results showed the specific referent did not differ from the general referent or the control condition regarding intention to reduce plastic. Intention in the general referent was significantly lower from the control condition. Social identification moderates the impact of dynamic norms on intention - those who identify less with the general referent have higher intention to reduce plastic than those with higher identification. Collective pride was higher in the specific condition compared with the general but did not mediate the relationship between norm and intention. Findings and practical implications will be discussed.

One of the main environmental policy challenges is convincing individuals and organisations to engage in socially desirable courses of action; that is, to have them internalise the consequences of their decisions. As contributions from institutional and behavioural economics have indicated, policies aimed at fostering pro-social action can be ineffective and even counterproductive if the interests and concerns of the relevant actors are not properly considered throughout the policy process. In fact, international conventions and national legislation around the world generally recommend stakeholder involvement in order to properly address pressing environmental challenges. The evidence that underpins and informs this recommendation, however, is still insufficient and scattered across different strands of literature. On the one hand, research on participatory governance has indeed systematically documented the potential for policymakers and resource managers to obtain high-quality, context-specific and legitimate input for environmental policymaking from participatory processes. On the other, the available research has also cast doubt on the potential of participatory processes to produce concrete change in (pro-social) action on the ground. In general, the success of these processes ultimately depends on their design, implementation and context. However, most of these conclusions stem from rich qualitative accounts of participatory processes, structured comparisons of cases and systematic reviews of case studies and the available literature. With this type of evidence, it is difficult to neatly identify the impact of participatory interventions on pro-social and cooperative behaviour and systematically assess the underlying mechanisms. This thesis addresses these knowledge gaps. The thesis investigates the extent to which and the mechanisms by which participatory interventions could foster (or hinder) pro-social and collective action for natural resource management and environmental protection. It comprises four chapters, each constituting a stand-alone, self-contained academic paper. Throughout the different chapters, the thesis reviews and integrates insights from the literature on participatory governance and from the institutional and behavioural analyses of pro-social and collective action. Furthermore, using two laboratory economic experiments (Chapters 3 and 4) and one framed lab-in-the-field experiment (Chapter 5), the thesis systematically assesses specific hypotheses concerning the potential impacts of participatory interventions on cooperative and pro-social behaviour and the underlying mechanisms of these impacts. The introductory chapter of the dissertation gathers, presents and discusses the insights gathered from each chapter. It expands on the motivations for the thesis, presents the general and specific research gaps and questions the thesis tackles and clarifies the conceptual, theoretical and methodological foundations upon which the thesis is grounded. Chapter 2 (entitled Participatory interventions for collective action in environmental and natural resource management) reviews the literature on participatory governance together with the literature on collective action in natural resource and environmental management. The main goal of this review is to contribute to integrating the main insights from both strands of literature regarding (a) the potential of participatory interventions to foster collective action and (b) the channels through which they might foment (or hinder) collective action. It therefore seeks to help integrate the insights from these different strands of literature, which, although related, have generally been disconnected until now. The chapter draws on the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework to organise these insights within a coherent conceptual framework. As the results of this literature review indicate, participatory interventions have the potential to foster collective action through two channels. Firstly, by helping resource users to change (and enhance) the rules, norms and strategies that constrain and guide their behaviour (the indirect channel) and, secondly, by directly influencing the specific behavioural factors (e.g. knowledge, trust, preferences, perceptions and beliefs) that collective action hinges upon (the direct channel). However, to sustain collective action, the relevant literature has consistently emphasised that trust needs to be continually cultivated and ensured. Therefore, in line with insights from earlier studies on participatory governance, the results of this literature review also indicate that practitioners and policymakers must not only design participatory interventions carefully to effectively build the trust needed to heighten and sustain collective action, but participatory interventions must also be adequately embedded within the broader (social-ecological and governance) context, providing for follow-up, enforcement, monitoring and conflict-resolution mechanisms. From Chapter 3 through Chapter 5, the thesis focuses on the direct channel, studying the potential of participatory interventions to directly influence behaviour within relevant economic action situations such as social dilemma and distributive action situations. Within a given environment and institutional context, the studies recreate processes commonly facilitated within participatory interventions. Chapter 3 assesses the effects of externally structured and facilitated processes of information exchange, and Chapters 4 and 5 examine the impact of inducing perspective-taking via role-switching techniques (Chapter 4) and instructions (Chapter 5). Thanks to this experimental approach, it is possible to systematically assess the behavioural impacts of these types of processes as well as the underlying mechanisms. Chapter 3 (entitled Structuring communication effectively for environmental cooperation) starts by reviewing previous experimental studies on the effects of two-way communication in social dilemmas to identify the elements that are commonly involved in effective communication processes. This review notes four cooperation-enhancing components of communication: (i) problem awareness, (ii) exploration of strategies to tackle the problem at hand, (iii) agreement on desirable joint strategies and (iv) ratification of agreed-upon strategies. A total of 560 students at Osnabrück University participated in a laboratory implementation of a voluntary contribution mechanism; a public goods game. The experiment implemented a series of interventions that represented these components of communication and contrasted the resulting levels of cooperation with the average outcomes of control groups interacting under either free (unstructured) communication or no communication whatsoever. The intervention that facilitated agreement on a common strategy (i.e. the combination of (ii) and (iii)) was particularly effective at boosting cooperation. Furthermore, combined with interventions promoting problem awareness and ratification, this intervention produced levels of cooperation similar to the average levels of cooperation observed in groups with free-form communication. The results of this experiment expand the understanding in the literature of the role of communication in social dilemmas and provide insights into the potential of structured and facilitated processes of information exchange and social interaction to foster collective action for environmental management. Chapter 4 (The effects of inducing perspective-taking through role reversal in a give-and-take a dictator game on pro-social behaviour) and Chapter 5 (Perspective-taking for pro-social behaviour in watershed management) deal with the effects of inducing perspective-taking on unilateral pro-social behaviour. The results outlined in Chapter 4 indicate that perspective-taking, induced through role reversal, can be associated with significant average changes in the participants’ self-reported state of emotions (in terms of both empathic and positive as well as in distressing and negative emotions). The emotional reactions that the role reversal seems to influence, however, do not appear to result in significantly more (or less) pro-social behaviour. The chapter explores and discusses two plausible explanations for these results, namely the transient effects of emotional reactions and the opposing effects of diverging emotional reactions on pro-social behaviour. These results come from the analysis of data from 144 students at Osnabrück University who participated as dictators in a laboratory implementation of a give-and-take dictator game. The design of the experiment allows the identification of the effect of inducing decision-makers to experience the other person’s position through unilateral role reversal on pro-social behaviour. During the simulation round, dictators in treatment groups experienced how it would feel to be in the role of the recipient. Dictators in the control groups only learned about the distributional consequences of their allocation decisions on recipients. Hence, through a treatment comparison, it was possible to single out the effects resulting from temporarily taking on the position of the other participant. To understand the underlying drivers of a potential behavioural change, the study elicited participants’ emotional states both before and after the simulation round. The results in Chapter 5 indicate that inducing perspective-taking can be associated with relatively greater pro-social behaviour based on an experimental study of downstream farmers’ behaviour in a watershed management context. Moreover, the provision of information on the social-ecological context during the perspective-taking exercise cannot account for the different behavioural patterns in the treatment and control groups. These results come from a lab-in-the-field experiment carried out with 177 downstream farmers in a Peruvian watershed. In the experiment, farmers in the treatment groups were motivated to imagine the upstream farmers’ perspective (i.e. to think about their thoughts and feelings) before deciding on whether or not to contribute to an initiative in the upper watershed. The initiative intends to help upstream farmers improve their well-being without compromising the water supply downstream. The behaviour of farmers in the treatment groups was compared against the behaviour of farmers in the control groups wherein perspective-taking was not induced. Taken together, the results of Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 illustrate the potential of inducing perspective-taking—commonly promoted in participatory processes—to trigger pro-social behaviour in economic situations. It can indeed alter relevant behavioural variables and trigger pro-social behaviour in distributive and social-dilemma situations. Nevertheless, as the literature on perspective-taking has previously indicated, the final effects depend on the specific procedures by which and the situations and contexts wherein perspective-taking is induced. Based on these findings, it is possible to sustain that participatory interventions do have the potential to effect changes in pro-social and cooperative behaviour at both the collective and individual level. Whether this impact is realised or hindered hinges on the procedures and contexts of participatory interventions. It would also depend on the mechanisms provided to follow up on the initiated processes and sustain and build upon the early outcomes. The contributions of this thesis are threefold. Firstly, it integrates insights from the literature on the institutional and behavioural analysis of pro-social and collective action and the literature on participatory governance for natural resource management. Secondly, it generates new evidence, based on experimental methods, in terms of the potential for participatory interventions to foster pro-social and collective action, and in terms of the mechanisms by which participatory methods and processes could effectively impact (or hinder) pro-social and cooperative behaviour. In this way, the thesis helps to bridge the gap of knowledge in terms of how participatory interventions can effectively change behaviour and, subsequently, encourage socially desirable social-ecological outcomes. In doing so, it also adds to the understanding of pro-social and cooperative human behaviour and the way that the processes of information-exchange and perspective-taking, which are often facilitated by participatory processes, may (or may not) advance it. Research on participation is, however, still ongoing and, in terms of the way forward, the thesis makes a third, methodological contribution. It demonstrates how experimental research in both the laboratory and in the field, conducted under a coherent conceptual and methodological framework, can complement one another and shed light on the extent to which and the means by which participatory interventions can produce changes in behaviour. The experimental method, in terms of both laboratory and field experiments, can therefore complement the set of methods traditionally employed to analyse participatory processes. The results of the studies comprising the thesis underscore the importance of carefully analysing the policy process. As contributions from the behavioural literature have repeatedly indicated, human behaviour is driven by a combination of self-regarding, social and procedural preferences. Hence, addressing pressing environmental challenges involving externalities and social dilemmas not only entails getting the policy design right to synergistically coordinate and orchestrate these different types of preferences. It also requires careful design, analysis and implementation of the activities and methods that structure and facilitate stakeholder interactions throughout the policy process.

Um dos principais meios de amenizar as degradações ambientais no cenário atual é o processo de reciclagem. Contudo, para que este mecanismo obtenha êxito, é necessária uma maior cooperação da sociedade junto aos esforços das entidades públicas e privadas. Apenas com o descarte consciente de resíduos sólidos urbanos por parte da sociedade, a reciclagem poderá alcançar o máximo de seu potencial de recuperabilidade. A opacidade dos contentores de coleta seletiva impede que a imagem dos resíduos neles depositados sirva como material de reflexão para despertar a maior adesão de seus usuários. Com base na Teoria do Foco Normativo, esse estudo objetivou avaliar se a transparência dos caixotes de coleta seletiva pode influenciar o comportamento pró ambiental dos indivíduos. Através de um experimento realizado na Praia da Poça em Cascais, Portugal, foi testado o efeito da transparência em ecopontos de coleta seletiva, onde foram comparados os resíduos depositados em recipientes opacos e recipientes transparentes (vazios e com resíduos incorretos). Os resultados demonstraram que a transparência não alter ou a proporção de descartes corretos e incorretos realizados nesses contentores quando usados os sacos opacos. Verificou se também que os sacos transparentes com resíduos incorretos depositados previamente salientaram a norma descritiva antisocial (antinor mativa) aumentando o número de descartes incorretos no coletor amarelo (plástico), comparado com a etapa em que os sacos transparentes vazios foram utilizados. Nos restantes contentores, em que os descartes incorretos eram já bastante elevados, a condição antinormativa não teve impacto significativo. Evidenciou se, pois, a necessidade de campanhas educacionais mais frequentes e voltadas para o público, que esclareçam melhor a destinação correta de cada espécie de resíduo e suas implicações específicas de ac ordo com o estado de comprometimento dos mesmos e forneçam feedbacks normativos a fim de fomentar o espírito de coletividade dos munícipes na reciclagem.
One of the main ways to mitigate environmental degradations in the current scenario is the recycling process. However, for this to be successful, greater cooperation between society and the efforts of public and private entities is necessary. Only with the conscious disposal of urban solid waste by society can recycling reach its maximum recoverability potential. The opacity of selective waste bins prevents the image of the waste deposited in them from serving as a reflection material to arouse greater adhesion of its users. Based on the Normative Focus Theory, this study aimed to assess whether the transparency of selective collection bins can influence the pro environmental behavior of individuals. The results showed that transparency did not change the proportion of correct and incorrect disposals made in these containers when using the opaque bags. It was also found that the transparente bags with incorrect waste previously deposited highlighted the antisocial descriptive norm (antinormative) increasing the number of incorrect disposals in the yellow collector (plastic), compared to the step in which the empty transparent bags were used. In the remaining containers, where incorrect disposals were already quite high, the anti normative condition had no significant impact. Therefore, the need for more frequent educational campaigns aimed at the public was evidenced, which better clarify the correct destination of each type of waste and its specific implications according to their state of commitment and provide normative feedbacks in order to foster the collective spirit of citizens in recycling.

Environmental quality of sidewalks influenced physical activity practices in public areas to prevent diseases related of sedentary lifestyle. Tree and its air thermoregulation capacity can modify microclimate conditions that affect people's daily behavior. To promote the thermal comfort on streets, it is necessary to design urban areas with trees and cool materials that can mitigate effects of heat islands. This work aims to evaluate the influence of thermal comfort in different urban landscapes on pedestrian walkability. Methodology: a) selection of route based on a transect that crosses different types of urban landscape: a park (dense green area) and streets with or not tree planted; b) collection of climate data (air temperature and humidity) and surface temperature by thermal pictures during 13 days in 2019 summer; c) quantification of thermal comfort in terms of Air Temperature; Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) and Universal Thermal Comfort Index (UTCI); d) statistical analysis of measured data and mapping of climate variables e) future scenarios using RayMan Pro. Results show air temperature differences between shaded and sun areas is up to 3,1 ° C and 4,5 ° C in terms of PET and 3,5 o C UTCI. It was observed that the features of shade of trees and planting strategies can also influence results. In streets, clusters of trees planted in line can promote more thermal comfort than other analyzed areas (on parks and streets without trees). Considering that people preferred walking on shady places, to plant aligned trees by species as Casealpinia peltophoroides (Sibipiruna) could attenuated 94,8 % of solar radiation and can reduce up to 16o C PET in flat areas. Future scenarios with trees show that São Caetano street can improve air temperatures to 0,5o C in terms of Ta, 1,4 o C PET and 0,9o C UTCI. To reduce heat stress and promote more thermal comfort sensations, it's necessary to modify materials used on façades and pavements. This strategy can improve local commerce due preference of walking on wooded streets by species that can’t filter solar radiation and permits the wind permeability. These results can promote the re-naturalization of commercial areas of Sao Paulo downtown and improve microclimate of urban environments.