1. Crafting Effective Messages in Environmental Conservation
Crafting Effective Messages In
Environmental Conservation
A White Paper in Energy and
Environmental Education and
Behavior Change
By Caren Magill
UCLA/Fielding Graduate
University
_________________________________
Abstract
Most people that behave in
environmentally conscious ways will
claim that they do so because they
are motivated by reasons of social
responsibility toward conservation.
They may even admit that there are
economic advantages to doing so.
However, they would be largely
incorrect. The following literature
review will examine the most likely
cause for motivating the public to
adopt pro-environmental behavior,
and how these cognitive reactions
can best be put to use the in
development of conservation
campaign messages.
Caren
Magill
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2. Crafting Effective Messages in Environmental Conservation
The following white paper will effectiveness of the normative
discuss the most effective way to messages against a number of other
craft pro-social environmental influential environmental
conservation messages for use in conservation messages. The first
public awareness campaigns using study was a survey based analysis
the psychological principles of social measuring “priori beliefs people held
norms. This review is in no way an about why they conserve energy
exhaustive review of the studies that and to examine the relative weight
have been conducted in this area, that participants would ascribe to
but highlights some of the more social norms as a factor in their
applicable techniques that current decisions to conserve energy at
research has uncovered. home” (Nolan et al. 2008, p.915). A
random selection of 810 participants
The Power of Normative Social in the state of California were asked
Influence via phone interviews, about their
Social norms are the “self-reported efforts to conserve
behaviors of a group of people. energy, perceived reasons for
Normative social influence is the conservation, beliefs about broad
generally accepted social behavior benefits of energy conservation,
that an individual will adopt in order descriptive normative beliefs
be perceived as compliant by a regarding energy conservation [how
group of people. Individuals have a much they thought other people
tendency to conform to social norms practiced conservation] and
in order to be perceived as demographics” (Nolan et al. 2008,
agreeable. The power of this p.915). Further examining the self-
natural human tendency is reported conservation practices,
extremely effective when crafting they asked participants if their
social marketing campaigns motivations were attributed to
intended to influence public environmental concern, saving
behavior change. The importance money, social responsibility, or
of incorporating normative social because other people were doing it.
influence into campaign messaging They measured the motivating
is examined in a 2008 study responses for why the participants
conducted by Nolan, Schultz, actually conserved energy against
Cialdini, Goldstein & Griskevicius. how much they believed energy
The premise of the research conservation impacted each
was to not only examine the variable (economic, environment,
effectiveness of normative social social responsibility and how much
influence (using messages that imply their neighbors were conserving
that “other people are adopting this which was exclusively given a 3 point
behavior”), but to illustrate the under scale of sometimes, frequently or
detection of this method as a major always).
motivating factor by the general The responses, measured on a
public. In two separate studies, 4-point scale showed that
researchers first uncovered the environmental concern was the
general opinion of normative social number one reason why participants
influence as an influencing factor, practiced energy conservation,
and then measured the followed by societal benefits and
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Magill
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3. Crafting Effective Messages in Environmental Conservation
then cost savings. The normative experimental intervention. The
social influence factor (because message samples included a
other people do it) scored the descriptive norm, a self-interest (cost
lowest. According to the savings), an environmental message,
researchers, the survey results were a socially responsible message and
convergently valid with existing data just an information only sample,
suggesting, “people tend to which was control condition. The
generate causal theories that are door hangers also included
self-serving” (Nolan et al. 2008, suggestive action for conserving
p.916). energy such turning off lights or using
Using the perception of a fan instead of air conditioning.
effectiveness data, a 3-step A door-to-door intervention
hierarchical multiple regression by blind, trained interviewers then
process was used to examine the confirmed that the homeowner has
effectiveness of the normative social seen the hanger, recalled the
influence statement against message and of those, they were
demographic information, responses asked how much the door hanger
to the 4 reasons for conservation had motivated them to practice
(environment, social, economic & conservation. The 509 qualifying
normative) and finally the 3-item participants then had two
normative belief scale about their subsequent meter readings at one
neighbors. and then two months after the
The results of the regression intervention to examine the long
analysis reported that “despite the and short-term effectiveness of the
perception that other people’s messages.
behavior was least influential on their The 4-point scale results of the
decision to conserve, beliefs of how intervention were predicatively valid,
often their neighbors tried to with the descriptive norm being
conserve showed a strong rated as the least motivational (at
correlation with respondents’ own the same rate as the control
reported conservation efforts” condition) and the environmental
(Nolan et al. 2008, p.917). This would message being rated as most
indicate that there is a significant influential. Interestingly, the results of
relationship between how much the 5 level independent variable
people practice conservation, showed that the descriptive norm
based on how much they perceive participants used significantly less
others doing so as well. energy in the short term (M=12.97)
The second study was an than in the combined other
experimental design where conditions (M=14.17). The long-term
researchers used normative results were similar.
information to influence energy The significance of these
conservation behavior using a findings cannot be understated
sample of 981 homes in San Marcos, when designing social marketing
California. Door hangers with 5 campaigns. That a “message
experimental messages were merely containing information about
randomly assigned one week after the conservation behavior of the
their energy meters were recorded, majority of one’s neighbors – spurred
and rerecorded the day of the people to conserve more energy
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Magill
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4. Crafting Effective Messages in Environmental Conservation
than did the control message or any shapes individuals’ interpretations of,
of the three other messages” (Nolan and responses to, the situation
et al. 2008, p.920) despite the (Bearden and Etzel, 1982), especially
perceived weak influence of the in novel, ambiguous, or uncertain
message is very powerful. A situations” (Goldstien, Cialdini &
potential confounding variable that Griskevicius, 2008, p.2).
should not be overlooked, is that The value of this knowledge cannot
people may already practice their be overstated in crafting social
existing conservation methods due marketing messages. Through clear
to environmental, social or articulation of pro-social descriptive
economic concerns. As the norms, audiences that are uncertain
researchers suggest, a preaching to about appropriate behavior, process
the choir effect may have occurred an immediate cognitive reaction to
with regard to the motivation of the socially predicable option.
existing practices, and therefore The first study measured the
their importance should not be conformance to a towel reuse
overlooked in message design. program in a well-known hotel
chain. The independent variable
Normative Messages, Proximity and had two levels, one was a sign with
Situation an industry standard message about
The power of popular the importance of reusing towels to
behavior is only one of several save the environment, and the other
impactful techniques that can be sign read
applied to prosocial message “JOIN YOUR FELLOW GUESTS
construction in order to maximize IN HELPING TO SAVE THE
audience resonance and ENVIRONMENT. Almost 75% of
compliance. The idea of normative guests who are asked to
group behavior is especially participate in our new
powerful when it addresses a group resource savings program do
association in close proximity or help by using their towels
immediate situational more than once. You can
circumstances. join your fellow guests in this
A two part study conducted program to help save the
in 2008 by Goldstien, Cialdini & environment by reusing your
Griskevicius examined the towels during your stay”
effectiveness of conservation (Goldstien, Cialdini &
practices in a hotel using descriptive Griskevicius, 2008, p.3).
norms (what people typically do in a Both signs asked guests to hang the
situation), highlighting the used towel up in a specific place if
effectiveness of this model with they cared to reuse them, or leave
varying group identity messages (i.e. them on the floor if they wanted
people who stayed in the same them replaced. On the back of
room vs. same hotel, citizen or both signs, some data about the
gender identifications). Building on individual impact of reusing towels
what has already been discussed, had on water and oil conservation
this study confirms the growing body was listed. The experiment lasted
of data that suggests “behavior of over an 80-day period, and guests
others in the social environment who stayed more than one night in
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Magill
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5. Crafting Effective Messages in Environmental Conservation
the 190-room hotel were measured conservation message in a provincial
for their responses to the randomly context (people who stayed in the
selected rooms that received either same room) with a more global
the normative or industry standard context (people who stayed in the
conservation sign. Room attendants same hotel). These messages were
were trained to record the towel compared with conditions of socially
reuse behavior of the guests on a relevant identity groups such as
daily basis. fellow citizens or gender
The results of the study classification. The industry standard
revealed that the descriptive norm message was also used as the
condition produced significantly control condition, for a total of 5 sign
higher reuse rates (44.1%) than the conditions. A separate pretest
industry standard environmental asked a random sample of 53 survey
protection condition (35.1%). This participants which of the 5
result shows a conservative conditions they felt would be most
estimation of conformity as it influential in motivating them to
measured only the first night of a participate in the towel reuse
guest’s eligible stay (assuming they program due to social identity. In
may have reused more than one other words, would they be more or
night), as well, towels that were hung less motivated if they were asked to
on door knobs were eliminated as participate as a fellow man or
behavioral evidence to avoid women, citizen, hotel guest, hotel
confounding variables of confused guest in the room they were staying
behavioral translation. Only in, or just because it was an pro-
participants that intentionally hung environmental thing to do. As
their towels in the appropriately expected, the participants showed
requested place were counted as no significant difference in-group
valid dependant variables. This identity motivation, but the
explains the variance in environmental motivation was more
experimental responses from the persuasive than all other groups
industry standard recorded behavior together (M=5.12). Interestingly, the
that was listed on the original sign least persuasive motivational group
(that 75% of guests reused their identity was the shared guest room
towels). affiliation (M=1.96).
The second experiment in the The experimental results were
study examined the degree to which predicatively valid in that all four
social group identification would normative messages proved more
further influence normative behavior. effective (44.5%) than the industry
“According to Festeringer’s (1954) standard environmental message
social comparison theory, people (37.2%). Furthermore, the normative
often evaluate themselves by same room group identity condition
comparing themselves to others – faired better results (49.3%) over the
especially to others with whom they three other normative conditions
share similar personal (same hotel, gender and citizen)
characteristics” (Goldstien, Cialdini & combined (42.8%). This data points
Griskevicius, 2008, p.4). With this in to the behavioral tendency to not
mind, researchers compared the only follow what others typically do,
effectiveness of the normative but that the proximity of this
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Magill
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6. Crafting Effective Messages in Environmental Conservation
behavioral norm is of even greater Reno & Kallgren, research examined
relevance when creating influential the behaviors of visitors to Arizona’s
messages. The other interesting Petrified Forest National Park, which
revelation that this data suggested is suffers from petrified wood theft on
that comparatively, the pretest an ongoing basis. The researchers
results of what people assumed hypothesized that “in a situation
would be motivational based on characterized by unfortunate levels
social identity groups in no way of conduct, a message that focuses
matched the trend of what actually recipients on the injunctive norm will
motivated people to participate in be superior to messages that focus
the experiment. Thus, we are forced recipients on the descriptive norm”
to question the validity of data that is (Cialdini et al., 2003, p. 107). The
generated through focus group field study strategically placed
research. pieces of petrified wood along a
main visitor pathway and over the
Effective Usage of Descriptive and course of 5-weeks, they observed
Injunctive Norms the behavior theft patterns of visitors
So far we have examined the based on a 2 level independent
power of using normative behavior variable – signage that either
in creating effective prosocial dissuaded visitors using a descriptive
campaign messages, but there is norm or an injunctive norm. The
also a caution that is equally descriptive norm sign suggested that
important to note when creating many people do steal petrified
messages that deter unwanted wood, and it’s destroying the natural
behavior. Given that people are environment, accompanied with a
persuaded by normative behavior, request to not to take wood from the
it’s important to ensure that when forest and a picture of three people
addressing undesirable behaviors, taking wood (illustrating the popular
they are not inadvertently behavior). The injunctive norm sign
reinforced. asked visitors not to steal wood from
Studies conducted by the forest, and showed a picture of
Cialdini, Reno & Kallgren (2003) have a single person stealing wood with a
demonstrated that prosocial circle and a line through the image.
messages that “focus individuals on This emphasized the lone behavior of
the all-too-frequent occurrence of one individual, and the line through
an offense against the environment the image reinforced the
have the potential to increase the disapproval of the action.
occurrence of that offence” The results of the study
(Cialdini, 2003, p. 105). The key to revealed a significant increase of
effectively using descriptive norms (a wood theft when viewers were
typical behavior) in message presented with the descriptive norm
construction is to appropriately align signage, then with the injunctive
it with an injunctive norm (a socially norm sign by a variance of 7.92% vs.
preferred behavior) to ensure that 1.67% respectively. These figures
the appropriate behavior change is have significant importance when
being cognitively processed. compared with the theft to visitor
In one of the many studies ratio, which is just below 3%. (Caildini
conducted in this area by Cialdini, et al. 2003).
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Magill
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7. Crafting Effective Messages in Environmental Conservation
References
Conclusion
Based on the evidence Cialdini R., Reno, R., Kallgen, C.,
examined in this research review, it’s (1990) A Focus Theory of Normative
clear that there are several key Conduct:
elements one must consider when Recycling the Concept of
designing effective public service Norms to Reduce Littering in Public
messages regarding appropriate Places. Journal
environmental conservation of Personality and Social
behavior. Clearly, even though Pscyhology. 1990, Vol 58, No. 6, 1015
individuals believe their actions are - 1026
motivated by socially conscious
ideals, the scientific data proves Cialdini, R., (2003) Crafting
otherwise. The general public is Normative Messages to Protect the
highly influenced by common Environment.
behavior, regardless of its impact, Current Directions in
more often than is consciously Psychological Science. 2003 12: 105
acknowledged. With this in mind, DOI:
PSA creation should address 10.1111/1467-8721.01242
message creation with an emphasis
on underscoring prosocial popular Goldstein, N., Cialdini, R.,
behavior and positioning detrimental Griskevicius, V., (2008) A Room with a
behavior in an isolated manner with Viewpoint: Using Social Norms to
a clear definition of what socially Motivate Environmental
acceptable behavior should be. Conservation in Hotels. Journal of
Furthermore, wherever possible, Consumer Research, Inc. Vol
messages should convey relevance 35, 0093-5301/2008/3502-0002 DOI:
to an audience situation or location 10.1086/586910
with as much personal social
recognition as possible in order to Nolan, J., Schultz, W., Cialdini, R.,
maximize success in conforming Goldstein, N., Griskevicius, V. (2008)
behavior. Normative
Social Influence is
Underdetected. Personality
and Social Psychology
Bulletin; 2008 34: 913
DOI:10.1177/014616720831669
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