Post on 22-Feb-2016
description
How to motivate „normal“ people to behave in a more proenvironmental way?
Sebastian BambergUniversity of Applied Science BielefeldSebastian.bamberg@fh-bielefeld.de
The Problem
CO2 emissions are the central cause of climate change.
Contribution of consumers’ behavior to CO2-emissions:
Transport – ca. 20% Home energy use (heating/cooling) – ca. 35% Nutrition (meat consumption) – ca. 20%
The Problem
With growing insight into the harmful impact on the earth‘s ecosystems of the lifestyles pursued in industrialized societies, behavioral change has become a central focus not only of climate protection policy but also of environmental psychology as an applied science.
The Problem
How can we persuade people…
to switch transport modes, appliance choices, and eating habits
… in a way that will reduce their damaging impact on the environment?
The Role of Psychology
It is trivial that problem awareness is a first precondition for behavioral change.
Does problem awareness (high environmental consciousness) directly motivates behavioral change?
The Role of Psychology
In Germany about 75% of the population view climate change as one of the most serious threats humanity is confronted with.
However, only 9% are willing to personally adopt behaviors which would effectively contribute to the reduction of this threat.
Central Questions
Obviously, even if people are aware of a problem it is a long way to actually change own behavior.
The Role of Psychology
What motivates a person to critically reevaluate her/his current behavior?
How does a behavioral change goal develop, how is it transformed into a concrete behavioral change strategy?
How do individuals overcome the problems they encounter when trying to implement this new behavioral strategy?
STAGE MODELS
In psychology stage models provide an interesting approach for answering these questions.
Stage models explicitly focus on the dynamic, temporal aspects of behavioral change.
STAGE MODELS
The central theoretical assumption underlying all stage models:
Behavioral change could be best modelled as a person‘s transition through a sequence of qualitatively different stages of behavioral change.
In health psychology the Transtheoretical Modell (Prochaska & Velicer, 1997) is a well known stage model.
Stage Model of Self-regulated behavioral Change (SSBC, Bamberg 2011)
Construes change as a process involving progress through a series of four stages:
Predecisional stage Preactional stage Actional stage Postactional stage
Stage Model of Self-regulated behavioral Change (SSBC)
These stages of behavioral change reflect …
four timely ordered, qualitatively different TASKS
people have to solve for turning desired goals into behavioral practices.
Stage Model of Self-regulated behavioral Change (SSBC, Bamberg 2011)
The formation of the three intention types
goal-intention behavioral intention implementation intention
indicates that a person has successfully solved the respective stage specific task and can move on to the next stage.
Stage Model of Self-regulated Behavioral Change
Mind set of people in the predecisional stage:
Perform the problem behavior on a regular, habitual basis.
Are not fully aware of the negative consequences associated with this behavior, and thus see no reasons for behavioral change.
Confronting people in this stage with a direct request to change their behavior runs the risk of triggering reactance.
Stage Model of Self-regulated behavioral Change (SSBC) -Task of the first PRE-
DECISIONAL stage
PreactionalStage
Actional Stage
Behavioral Intention
Transition point
PredecisionalStage
PostactionalStage
Implementation Intention
Transition point
Motivation task:Raising doubts
Motivational task:Selecting a
change strategy
Motivational task:Implemention of
the change strategyMotivational task:
Habitualising the new behavior
Goal Intention
Transition point
Stage Model of Self-regulated Behavioral Change
Mind set of people in the preactional stage:
People already have the general goal of changing their current behavior (high goal intention).
However, because several actions (e.g. cycling, walking, public transport) could normally be used as a means to achieve this goal (e.g. car reduction), the task confronting them is to select the personally most suitable behavioral strategy.
PreactionalStage
Actional Stage
Goal Intention
Transition point
PredecisionalStage
PostactionalStage
Implementation Intention
Transition point
Motivation task:Raising doubts
Motivational task:Selecting a
change strategy
Motivational task:Implemention of
the change strategyMotivational task:
Habitualising the new behavior
Behavioral Intention
Transition point
Stage Model of Self-regulated behavioral Change (SSBC)- Task of the second PRE-
ACTIONAL stage
Stage Model of Self-regulated Behavioral Change
Mind set of people in the actional stage:
People not only possess a strong goal intention but also have formed a strong behavioral intention; that is, they have made a decision on which new behavioral strategy they want to test instead of the old one.
However, people often have difficulties to translate their “good” behavioral intentions into real action. That is, people often fail to do the things that they say they intent to do or fail to avoid doing things that they do not want to do (Orbell & Sheeran, 1998).
PreactionalStage
Actional Stage
Goal Intention
Transition point
PredecisionalStage
PostactionalStage
Motivation task:Raising doubts
Motivational task:Selecting a
change strategy
Motivational task:Implemention of
the change strategyMotivational task:
Habitualising the new behavior
Behavioral Intention
Transition point
Implementation Intention
Transition point
Stage Model of Self-regulated behavioral Change (SSBC)- Task of the third ACTIONAL
stage
Stage Model of Self-regulated Behavioral Change
Mind set of people in the postactional stage:
Persons actually perform the selected new behavior for some time.
In this stage they reflect on the experiences they have made with the new behavior and compare it critically with the old behavior.
As a result, the main intervention task in this stage is twofold: to provide feedback on how successfully they have achieved their personal change goal and to help them to cope with the temptation to relapse to the old behavior.
PreactionalStage
Actional Stage
Goal Intention
Transition point
PredecisionalStage
PostactionalStage
Motivation task:Raising doubts
Motivational task:Selecting a
change strategy
Motivational task:Implemention of
the change strategyMotivational task:
Habitualising the new behavior
Behavioral Intention
Transition point
Implementation Intention
Transition point
Stage Model of Self-regulated behavioral Change (SSBC)- Task of the forth POST-
ACTIONAL stage • Evaluating what has achieved and to decide whether further action is necessary.
• Struggling with temptation that is, preventing a relapse into the old behavior.
• How to explain the formation of the three critical transition points
• For intervention development precise information is needed concerning the determinants of the three critical intention types.
• These intention determinants are the direct intervention targets.
Stage Model of Self-regulated behavioral Change (SSBC)
SSBC - Processes contributing to the formation of a goal intention
Pre-decisional Stage Pre-actional Stage
Transition point
Negativeaffect
Felt obligation tofulfil personal
standards
reference value
Perceived goalfeasibility
Goal IntentionSocial Norms
Perceivedresonsibility
Awareness ofnegative
consequences
Pos. emotionsanticipated with
goal succes
SSBC - Processes contributing to the formation of a behavioral intention
Pre-actional stage Actional Stage
Goal intention
Behavioral intention
Attitudes toward alternative behavioral strategies
Perceived behaviroal control over alternative
behavioral strategies
Perceived goal feasibility
SSBC- Processes contributing to the formation of an implementation intention
Actional Stage
BehavioralIntention
Coping and action planning abilities
Postactional Stage
ImplementationIntention
New habit
Maintenance Self-efficacy
Perceived behaviroal control
SSBC- Processes contributing to the maintenance of the new behavior
ImplementationIntention
New habit
Recovery Self-efficacy
Maintenance Self-efficacy
Postactional Stage
The stage model of self-regulated behavioral change
Model specific focus: Developing and testing action hypotheses for the SSBC.
Interventions targeting people in the predecisional stage.
The SSBC provides clear guidelines on which strategies interventions targeting people in the predecisional stage should focus on:
(a)enhancing problem awareness; (b)increasing acceptance of personal responsibility; (c)making social norms salient; (d)strengthening perceived ability to change current
behavior; and(e)promoting the formation of a clear and challenging, but
not excessive personal change goal.
Interventions targeting people in the predecisional stage.
However, because of the aforementioned risk of eliciting reactance, the intervention should include not only arguments promoting behavioral change but also elements trying to reduce reactance.
Research (e.g., Knowles & Riner, 2007) has indicated that one of the most effective ways to reduce reactance is to merely acknowledge the fact that the person might feel some resistance.
Interventions targeting people in the preactional stage
The main task people are confronted with in this stage is to select the personally most suitable behavioral strategy.
Consequently, the main intervention goal in this stage is to provide more knowledge about the pros and cons as well as the personal feasibility of behavioral alternatives, and then help people to select their personally most suitable behavioral alternative
Interventions targeting people in the preactional stage
Besides promoting arguments, interventions for people in the preactional stage should also include arguments targeting potential sources of reactance/resistance:
According to Knowles and Riner (2007), one effective strategy to deal with concerns about an offer consists in giving guarantees.
In the mobility case for example, participants could be offered a possibility to test whether public transport services fit their purposes with a free one-week travel pass.
Interventions targeting people in the actional stage.
In this stage the main task people are confronted with is to translate their “good” behavioral intentions into real action.
Gollwitzer (1999; Gollwitzer & Sheeran, 2006) proposed that explicitly motivating people to plan the when, where, and how to enact the intended new behavior is a simple and effective strategy for dealing with this problem.
Interventions targeting people in the postactional stage
In this stage people are reflecting on the experiences they have made with the new behavior and are comparing it critically with the old behavior.
As a result, the main intervention task in this stage is twofold: to provide feedback on how successfully they have achieved their personal change goal and to help them to cope with the temptation to relapse to the old behavior.
Interventions targeting people in the postactional stage
As a consequence, besides repeating and strengthening the positive consequences associated with the new behavior and helping them to overcome barriers, the focus of interventions should be on providing social support.
This could be done by explicitly thanking and praising people for their good decision and offering them a small gift in recognition.
Interventions targeting people in the postactional stage
Besides asking them whether they need additional information, another intervention element for this stage group consists in motivating them to think about buying a permanent monthly or annual public transport pass.
The idea behind this intervention element is to increase participants’ commitment to their current behavior and to strengthen its habitual nature.
From the Model to a Real InterventionThe Berlin Intervention Study
General aim: To test the ability of a stage-based phone marketing campaign
to promote voluntary car use reduction for daily trips in Berlin.
General logic of the intervention approach: Using personal contact (a phone call) to motivate car users Tailoring the intervention to the person’s current behavioral
change stage. Combining personal contact with supporting print materials Repeating the intervention (2 times)
The Berlin Intervention StudyIntervention Elements
Invitation letter contains the stage diagnosis tool
Specific dialogue modules for the phone contact with participants in the pre-decisional stage pre-actional stage actional stage post-actional stage
Stage specific support print materials
Guidelines for Developing Stage-specific Intervention Modules Aiming to Trigger Stage Transition
Stage of change Intervention techniques
Predecisional
Make social norms salient Enhance problem awareness and self-focus Enhance goal setting und goal commitment
Preactional
Provide information about the pros and cons of
different behavioural alternatives and enhancing
perceived behavioural control
Actional Support behavioural planning
Postactional
Provide behavioral feedback Prevent the temptation to relapse
Intervention Effects
H1: The stage-based dialogue marketing intervention has a significant effect on post-intervention travel behavior.
H2: The effect of the stage-based dialog marketing intervention is significantly stronger than the effect of a standardized information intervention.
Effect of the Berlin Dialogue Marketing Campaignon Car Use for Daily Trips
ANOVA F (2, 243) = 5.31, p < .01
Experimental Condition
DialogueInfo-PackageControl Group
Mea
n C
ar U
se A
fter I
nter
vent
ion
8,0
7,0
6,0
5,0
4,0
3,0
2,0
1,0
0,0
5,8
6,77,0
p = .001
p = .01 p = .30
Effect of the Berlin Dialogue Marketing Campaignon PT Use for Daily Trips
ANOVA F (2, 243) = 3.31, p < .05
Experimental Condition
DialogueInfo-PackageKontrollgruppe
Mea
n PT
Use
Afte
r Int
erve
ntio
n7,0
6,0
5,0
4,0
3,0
2,0
1,0
0,0
6,5
5,65,5
p = .02
p = .03 p = .80
Identification of four Stage Groups
H3: With help of the information obtained by a newly developed stage measure in the total sample four homogeneous subgroups could be identified representing the four stage groups of behavioral change.
The Stage Measure1. part: Six statements representing the stage typical “mind-sets”
Question: Which of the following statements best describes how youfeel about your current level of car use for daily trips (in city X/ toyour workplace) and whether you have any plans to try to reducesome or all of these car trips?
Please choose which statement fits best to your current situationand tick only one box
Stageallocation
At the moment, I use the car for most of my trips. I am happy withmy current level of car use and see no reason why I should reduceit.
At the moment, I still use the car for most of my trips. I would like toreduce my current level of car use, but, at the moment, I feel it wouldbe impossible for me to do so.
Predecisional
At the moment, I do use the car for most of my trips. I am currentlythinking about changing some or all of these trips to noncar modes,but at the moment I am unsure how I can replace these car trips, orwhen I should do so.
Preactional
At the moment, I use the car for most of my trips, but it is my aim toreduce my current level of car use. I already know which trips I willreplace and which alternative transport mode I will use, but, as yet, Ihave not actually put this into practice.
Actional
Because I am aware of the many problems associated with car use,I already try to use non-car modes as much as possible. I willmaintain or even reduce my already low level of car use in the nextmonths.
Postactional
As I do not own/have access to a car, reducing my level of car use isnot currently an issue for me. ‚Captives‘
The Stage Measure2. part: Current behavior
Your current travel behaviour: In the last four weeks how frequently have you used the fol-lowing transport modes for everyday trips (e.g. to the workplace, for shopping- or leisure)? Car as driver Always ? Often ? Occasionally ? Seldom ? Never ? Car as passenger Always ? Often ? Occasionally ? Seldom ? Never ? Bicycle Always ? Often ? Occasionally ? Seldom ? Never ? Walking Always ? Often ? Occasionally ? Seldom ? Never ? Public transport (PT) Always ? Often ? Occasionally ? Seldom ? Never ?
Empirical Evidence for the Postulated four Stage GroupsResults of a Latent Class Cluster Analysis (LCCA)
Pre-intervention LCCA Results Post-intervention LCCA Results
LL BIC(LL) LL BIC(LL)
1-Cluster -1157,3418 2374,9247 -1191,2895 2443,3589
2-Cluster -967,9227 2045,3746 -978,8870 2068,2831
3-Cluster -908,5095 1975,8365 -919,1107 1998,4596
4-Cluster -871,7382 1951,5821 -881,6886 1973,3444
5-Cluster -866,8682 1991,1301 -876,8799 2013,4562
Half Year Test-Re-Test Reliability: gamma = .74; rank-correlation = .66
Post-intervention Behavioral Profils of the four Stage Groups
Planned contrasts indicate significant differences in Car und PT use between the two earlier and to later stages of behavioral change
Furthermore, there is a significant decrease in car use and increase inPT use from actional to postactional stage.
StagePredecisional Preactional Actional Postactional
Car use 8.8 8.6 7.5 4.7
PT use 3.8 3.8 5.7 7.0
Cycling 3.4 3.8 3.8 5.5
Walking 7,8 8.8 8.6 8.9
Testing the role of the three intention types as stage transition points
H4a: A strong goal intention is significantly associated with the probability of assignment to the preactional stage,
H4b: A strong behavioral intention significantly associated with the assignment probability to the actional stage,
H4c: A strong implementation intention significantly associated with the assignment probability to the postactional stage.
Results of a non-proportional ordinal logistic regression analysis: Odds Ratio (OR) Estimates
Varying Effect on Thresholds
Contemplation
OR1
Preparation
OR2
Maintenance
OR3
p- Value for
OR1 = OR2 = OR3
Low vs. High Goal intention 3.19*** 1.80*** > .001
Low vs. High Behav. Intention 1.46** > .001
Low vs. High Planning 1.63*** 1.77*** > .001
Stage Transition as mechanism mediating the intervention effect on behavior
H5: The intervention triggers a significantly stronger transition from earlier to later stages.
H6: The intervention effect on behavior is mediated by its effect on stage progression: after controlling for the intervention effect on stage transition, the direct intervention effect on behavior is no longer significant.
Mediates Stage Transition the Intervention Effect?
Predictive power of the stage-specific variable sets
H7: The proposed sets of socio-cognitive variables are strong predictors of the three transition points goal-intention, behavioral intention, and implementation intention.
Estimator: MLRModel Fit: Chi-squ. = 1.129,163; df = 505; CFI =0.94; TLI = 0.94; RMSEA = 0.034; Probability RMSEA <= .05 is 1.000
Empirical Model TestStructural Equation Model (N = 1.055)
Conclusion
The presented results provide some evidence that stage models may be an interesting framework for intervention development.
Central limitation:
Study provides no evidence that stage-based interventions are more effective than non-stage based interventions.
For this purpose other experimental designs are needed
What intervention techniques are effective in the pre-decisional stage (promoting the
formation of a goal intention)?
Remember:
Comparing current behavior with important personal standards is viewed as critical in the pre-decisional stage.
Self-Awareness as the critical psychological stage.
The Induced Hypocrisy Techniques
Theoretical basis: Cognitive Dissonance Theory and Self-Consistency Theory
Assumption:
Rendering salient inconsistencies between actual behavior and important self-standards raises negative feelings in a person which motivate her/him to re-adjust her/his behavior in line with her/his self-standards.
The Induced Hypocrisy Techniques
Procedure:
The IH paradigm relies on a two-stages procedure. In a first, public commitment, stage participants are asked to make public statements that are supportive of the attitudinal object under study (e.g., they have to make public statements about the importance of energy saveing).
In a second, mindfulness, stage they are rendered mindful of their own behavioral transgressions of their self-standards (e.g., they have to recall instances of
behaviors in which they did not perform in a energy saving way).
The Induced Hypocrisy Techniques
Procedure:
People facing such inconsistencies should realize that they do not behave in agreement with what they preach for others, that is they behave in a hypocritical way.
The Induced Hypocrisy Techniques
Practical implementation
A sample of 100 students were unsystematically approached on the university campus. Using a randomization procedure half of them were confronted to a IH procedure (experimental group). The other half completed only a questionnaire (control group).
Participants in the IH condition were asked for a contribution for a planned high school lesson aiming to promote energy saving behavior.
For this purpose participants were asked to allow to photograph them. Then they were asked to complete the phase ‚Energy saving is important for me, because...‘ with a own statement (public commitment stage).
After that they were asked to complete a scale measuring participants actual performance of 10 energy saving behaviors. Half of the items asked for behaviors which are not performed by the majority of the German population(e.g., not using the plane for vacation trips, always switching of the stand by function). The function of the scale was to render participants mindful of their own behavioral transgressions of their self-standards (mindfullness stage)
What intervention techniques are effective in the pre-actional/ actional stage (promoting the formation of a
behavioral/ implementation intention)?
Remember:
Reflecting about the pros and cons of alternative behaviors as well as planning the when, where, and how of action initiation are viewed as critical in these stages.
The MCII - Technique
In mental contrasting, people (1) name their most important feasible wish that is directed toward changing their behavior (e.g., regular physical activity), (2) name and imagine the most positive outcome of successfully changing their behavior (e.g., being in better shape), and (3) name and imagine the most critical obstacle that stands in the way of wish fulfillment (e.g., being tired after work).
If participants expect that they can realize their wish, mental contrasting leads to strong behavioral change intention.
The MCIITechnique
The thus strengthened behavioral intention is then supplemented by a procedure aiming to promote the precise planning when, where and how to implement this intention (e.g., If the weather is fine tomorrow morning, then I will bike to work!)
The combination of mental contrasting and behavioral planning should have a strong impact on behavior change because the two strategies complement each other.
The MCIITechnique
Procedure:
In the first step participants write down four items: (1) their most important current wish regarding physical activity (e.g., biking to work); (2) the most positive outcome of realizing their wish (e.g., getting into better shape) and events and experiences they associated with this positive outcome; (3) the most critical obstacle (e.g., getting up too late) together with events and experiences they associated with this obstacle.
The MCIITechnique
Procedure:
In the next step with the following questions participants are motivated to for three behavioral plans: (1) When and where does the obstacle occur, and what can I do to overcome or circumvent the obstacle?;
(2) When and where is an opportunity to prevent the obstacle from occurring, and what can I do to prevent it from occurring?; and
(3)When and where is a good opportunity for me to act on my wish, and what would this action be?
The MCIITechnique
Procedure:
For example, a participant could counter the obstacle of getting up too late with the plan “If I get up too late,
then I’ll skip the morning news!”
Effect of the Induced Hypocrisy Technique
Predecisional/Preactional Decisional/Actional
Control
Group
Experimental
Group
Control
Group
Experimental
Group
Variable M SD M SD M SD M SD
Social Norm 1.52 1.18 1.73 1.23 1.43 1.18 1.33 1.06
Personal moral norm 2.67 1.16 3.42 0.64*** 2.96 0.94 2.84 0.85
Goal Intention 2.87 0.92 3.66 0.46** 3.27 0.66 3.06 0.65
Behavioral attitude 3.14 0.66 3.55 0.62*** 3.27 0.67 3.30 0.48
Behavioral PBC 2.98 0.76 3.05 0.88 2.81 0.83 2.78 0.88
Behavioral Intention 2.54 1.03 3.11 0.98** 2.82 0.77 2.76 0.76
Implementation Intention 1.63 1.21 2.44 1.33** 1.72 1.20 1.80 1.09
Effekte der Hypercrisy-Intervention getrennt für beide Stage Gruppen
Effect of the MCII Technique
Effekte der Hypercrisy-Intervention getrennt für beide Stage Gruppen
Predecisional/Preactional Decisional/Actional
Control
Group
Experimental
Group
Control
Group
Experimental
Group
Variable M SD M SD M SD M SD
Social Norm 0.66 0.83 0.49 0.75 0.67 0.77 0.87 1.10
Personal moral norm 0.99 1.01 1.42* 1.13 1.99 1.19 2.75** 1.01
Goal Intention 1.12 0.98 1.56* 1.22 2.27 1.03 3.08*** 0.86
Behavioral attitude 2.42 0.88 2.46 1.07 3.06 0.69 3.41** 0.49
Behavioral PBC 1.57 0.94 1.84 1.15 2.39 1.10 2.94** 0.73
Behavioral Intention 1.34 0.90 1.66 1.18 2.34 0.92 3.08*** 0.63
Implementation Intention 0.79 0.76 1.24* 1.30 1.27 1.05 2.11*** 1.09
Meat Consumption 3.94 3.13 6.00* 3.69 3.44 2.69 1.74** 2.57
Effect of the MCII Technique
SocialNorm (Goal)
R2 = .05
Personal Norm (Goal)
R2 = .18
Goal IntentionR2 = .64
Attitude (Behavior)
R2 = .35
PBC(Behavior)
R2 = .51
BehavioralIntention R2 = .73
Implementation Intention
R2 = .44
Behavior (Meat Consumption)
R2 = .22
MCII Intervention
Hypocrisy Intervention
Goal Feasibility
R2 = .10
.19*
.01
.08*.06*
.52***
.31***
.68***
.28***
.23***.30***
.10**
.23*.23***
.20***.32**
.28***
.29***
.48***
.18***
-.46***