Why do individuals change behaviour?

1. Why do individuals change behaviour?

2. Reasons for change? Negative effects of a behaviour reach a certain level Recognition that it is possible to change, e.g. Behaviour of ‘trusted others’ Change moment Fashion Perception of the benefits Need to understand, often unexpected reasons

3. Understanding reactions to recycling Motivation What might motivate changes? Why might people be willing to recycle? Barriers What stops people recycling?

4. Why do we change? Motivations 1 • Moneysometimes motivates • People don’t know costs (visible vs. invisible) • Cultural and social values more important – even in ‘economic’ decisions • Money is not important for everyone • Financial incentives – can be lost to ‘free riders’ • They can increase non-desired behaviours • Financial incentives may not bring long term change

5. Why do we change? Motivations 2 • Informationsometimes motivates • Assume that if you know, you will change • Brochures alone – negligible savings • Pamphlets, videos and other brochures (0-2%) • Can result in attitude rather than behaviour change • Can result in increase in undesirable behaviour • Needs to be framed in terms of losses

6. Why do we change? Motivations 3 • Attitudessometimes motivate • Extensive psychological research • Programs often predicated on the belief that attitudes cause behaviour • 89% Sydneysiders favour home energy actions • - 59% take them

7. What makes it easy to change? • if it suits our lifestyle • if it fits into our core values • if we gain personal benefits • if there is a wide range of choices • if it is perceived to be easy for us • if it easy to see (measure) that we have changed • if it occurs at a change moment in our life • if we get positive recognition/reinforcement

8. Perceived to be easy – what are the barriers? • Habit • Lack of knowledge • Nobody else is doing it • We selectively interpret research/messages depending on what we agree with