Premium Essay

Environment and Behavior

In:

Submitted By glyza
Words 12801
Pages 52
Environment and Behavior
2014, Vol 46(1) 70–101
© The Author(s) 2012
Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0013916512452428 eab.sagepub.com 452428EAB46110.1177/00139165124
52428Environment and BehaviorHowell
© The Author(s) 2012
Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav 1
The University of Edinburgh, UK
Corresponding Author:
Rachel A. Howell, Centre for the study of Environmental Change and Sustainability, School of
Geosciences, The University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9XP, UK.
Email: r.a.howell@sms.ed.ac.uk
Investigating the LongTerm
Impacts of Climate
Change Communications on Individuals’ Attitudes and Behavior
Rachel A. Howell1
Abstract
To assess the effectiveness of climate change communications, it is important to examine their long-term impacts on individuals’ attitudes and behavior.
This article offers an example study and a discussion of the challenges of conducting long-term investigations of behavioral change related to climate change communications (a vital and underresearched area). The research reported is a longitudinal panel study of the impacts on UK viewers of the climate change movie The Age of Stupid. The heightened levels of concern, motivation to act, and sense of agency about action that were initially generated by the movie did not measurably persist over the long term. The results also show that behavioral intentions do not necessarily translate into action.
Data analysis raised issues concerning the reliability of participants’ causal attributions of their behavior. This and other methodological challenges are discussed, and some ways of avoiding or lessening problems are suggested.
Keywords
climate change communications, proenvironmental behavior, behavioral change, behavioral intentions, public attitudes
Article
Downloaded from eab.sagepub.com by guest on October 6,

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Human Behavior and the Environment

...that run on gas. Even though recycling service is just as available as trash service, not everyone takes advantage of it. If people know the negative effects their behavior has on the environment, why isn’t everyone doing more to be proactive and conscience about their impact on the environment? Psychologist have developed many theories to explain why behaviors do not change and how behaviors can be influenced and changed. This paper seeks to examine human behaviors and how they can be changed to create better views of being environmentally conscience. ENVIRONMENTAL CUES Environmental “cues are elements in the environment that convey important information or trigger an affective reaction (Book).” In other words, cues are an action or occurrence that can affect and change human behavior. For example, in America street signs that are red typically indicate an action needs to stop or caution needs to be taken. When the traffic light is red, that is a cue for all traffic to stop in a certain direction. Environmental cues are an important part of human behavior. Cues make determining behavior easier. When sitting at a red light everyone knows that it is not their turn to drive. If the cue it not followed or ignored there can be negative impacts, like car accidents. Because cues have a significant impact on human behavior, when considering options to improve the...

Words: 1077 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Environment And Behavior Analysis

...The environment acts upon the individual in a number of ways. Of course, the ways in which a given environment shapes a person's behavior depends on the nature of the environment and the nature of the person, as well. For most of us, our first environments were households with one or two parents, and we experienced them as children. Either our mother or father (or both) rewarded us with praise for doing things right, such as learning to walk, talk, potty train, pick up toys. They may also be punished for behavior that is not consistent with parental expectations and/or demands (As cited by Funder, 2013). For instance, a child may be put in "timeout" for not listening or breaking rules, in general. Thus, operant conditioning is the most significant type of learning that a person experiences as a youngster. In the case of the three-year-old girl, Olivia, she was classically-conditioned to associate a neutral stimulus (coughing) with being tickled by her sister -- a testament to the power of this kind of behavior modification, especially as a youngster (lovelaughliv42, 2011). Moreover, our conditioning continues throughout life -- through school, work, child-rearing, retirement, and so on. However, the environment, according to social learning theorists, also affects how we think, perceive, and...

Words: 749 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Impacts of Human Behavior on the Environment

...RUNNING HEAD: Impacts of Human Behavior on the Environment 1 Impacts of Human Behavior on the Environment Psy 460 Impacts of Human Behavior on the Environment 2 Environmental psychology is the study of the link between human behavior, the direct impact on the environment, and the psychology of humans. The physical or manmade environment such as building houses or workplaces, and natural environments in nature, are all important parts of environmental psychology. The study that includes environmental psychology is diverse and requires more studies to determine what changes need to be made. Modern technology such as, the development of chemicals, manufacturing plants, population increases, mining and mining processes and other human activities have brought many issues and concerns about the environment. Some of the environmental issues that are impacting our environment negatively are: global warming, climate changes, more intense adverse weather such as stronger hurricanes and tornadoes, while other areas have drought and rainy conditions (Steg, 2013). Technology can create negative impacts to the environment by humans attempting to improve on nature in areas where nature should be left alone. Controlling nature, for example, by building dams over rivers to generate electricity has adverse effects on fish and other water species. The oil and chemicals that are used...

Words: 1213 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Human Behavior: Negative and Positive Effects on the Environment

...Human Behavior: Negative and Positive Effects on the Environment Human behavior has many effects on the environment; some of which are negative and some that are positive. The environment also affects human behavior. Negative effects of human behavior can be seen in animal extinction, climate change, pollution, noise, and deforestation, just to name some. Protecting the ozone layer, conserving earth’s resources such as; water and power, and protecting endangered animals are some of the ways that human behavior has a positive effect on the environment. When something in the environment triggers important information or causes a reaction it is known as an environmental cue. Environmental cues often affect human behavior. Environmental Impact Humans cannot possibly avoid impact of the environment; just existing creates an impact on the environment. However that impact can be positive. The negative impact that humans have on the environment is the main concern today and causes concern for the future. Humans have changed the environment by making adaptations to make living more comfortable. However humans don’t always consider the consequences for the behaviors they exhibit (Derreby, 2011). Environmental Cues Steg (2013) describes environmental cues as environmental elements that trigger a reaction or send information that is important. Environmental cues signal humans to behave in sync with social norms or to engage in a specific action, however the response...

Words: 1297 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Environment Plays a Huge Role in Human Behavior

...The environment plays a huge role in human behavior from larger things like whether the country that a person lives in is at war to smaller things like the type of weather that is typical for that specific area.  You may have heard of the term nature vs. nurture before.  This is a term that psychologists use to describe different reasons for why people behave in the ways that they do.  Nature refers to people’s DNA.  This is their inherent genetic makeup that plays a role in not only their behavior but also in their outward appearance.  Nurture describes the environment that people live in including each person’s own experiences within their family but also their experiences in the larger world and within their community.  Human beings are programmed response in every sense of the word.  We learn everything that we are from others.  We are not born with knowledge or personality; we acquire those from society-at-large. As an example; if, at the moment you were born, you were exchanged with a baby being born in Ethiopia, and your skin, hair, and eyes were altered to that of other Ethiopians, you would grow up and be an entirely different person.  Your taste in food, music, dress, and all your aspects of culture would be entirely different from who you are today. If the two of you were to meet as adults, neither would recognize similar behavioral attributes in the other.  Each of you would have entirely different personalities.  Genetically, you may have the same physical...

Words: 2028 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Human Behavior: Negative and Positive Effects on the Environment

...The environments we live in are always in a state of continuous change in a range from the microscopic level to full on changes to the land or atmosphere. Although some of this can be attributed to an environment's natural ability to change, humanity and its behaviors are believed to speed up or change the evolution and transformation of the earths natural states (Steg, 2013). The changes, both natural and man made, have more influence on us than we know. The environments we live play as much of a role shaping us as we do them and can affect many aspects in our lives. Our environments can play a role in various states of being whether it has to do with our emotions, health, and even our attitudes and behaviors can be shaped based off the enviroment we are in (Steg, 2013). Environmental cues are everything in an environment that we respond to in some way. Whether it is the sun, a tree, a building, noise, weather, each of the factors can play a role in influencing our behaviors in some way (Anderson, 2001). If the weather is too hot or too cold it can affect the way we dress, our mood, and our behaviors. One specific example is the strong correlation between heat and aggression. It is theorized that hotter weather plays a role in elevated aggressive behaviors. Although in modern times it has become a more studied theory, but the idea of heat causing more aggression has been spoken on since the 1700’s with explorers and others noting the differences in behaviors when they find...

Words: 1298 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Dish Tv - Consumer Buying Behavior in the Changing Dth Environment

...Study & Analyzing Customer Buying Behavior in the changing DTH Environment Dish TV India Pvt. Ltd. Submitted by Tamal Kundu Academic year 2012-14 2012163 NIILM CMS Mentored by Prof. Ritu Srivastava NIILM CMS Greater Noida Certificate of Completion from Faculty Guide This is to certify that Summer Project Report on “Study and Analyze the consumer buying behavior in the fast changing DTH environment” prepared by Tamal Kundu Roll No. 2012163 of PGDM 2012-14 Batch is his genuine effort under my guidance and supervision. Signatures of mentor Signature of Student Mentor: Prof. Ritu Srivastava Name of Student: Tamal Kundu 2 DECLARATION I Tamal Kundu, a student of NIILM-CMS hereby declare that I completed my Summer Project titled, “Studying & analyzing the customer buying behavior in the fastest changing DTH environment” in the duration of six weeks i.e., from 20th April 2013 to 31st May 2013 under the able guidance of Mr. Mukesh Chaudhury & Mr.Gautam Sinha. The information presented here is correct and true to the best of my knowledge. Name: TAMAL KUNDU 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my heartiest thanks and appreciation to all those who were associated with my summer project which enhanced my knowledge and understanding of the corporate world greatly. First of all I would like to thank our president Dr. S. Neelamegham (NIILM-CMS) for giving us an opportunity of having this corporate exposure for 6 weeks. I would also like to...

Words: 9768 - Pages: 40

Premium Essay

Paper

...human behavior is due to environment and how much is due to genetic influence. There are various methods used to determine if violent behavior is a function of nature or nurture. There was a study conducted in Germany and the UK, which involved a child’s behavior due to their environment and how much is due to their genetics. “It is society (or culture, respectively) into which the children are born, with its prevailing behavioral norms, creeds, social structures, attitudes, mentalities, etc., which imprints and profiles the newborn humans” (Voland, E., 2000). Nature are the elements which make up a person such as their qualities. Nurture is to raise, educate, support and love a person. Violence is a natural phenomenon that should be treated, or violence is a learned behavior that children should be taught to avoid. Before making an assumption or decision, onlookers of the debate should consider how genetics may come into play in the behaviors of individuals, how environment may affect an individual’s behaviors, and how they both may interact to create violence as a whole. Nature refers to an individual's innate qualities or nativism. For example, nature is in your genes. The researcher’s hypothesis is how much of violent behavior is due to the environment and how much is due to genetic influence. There are various methods used to determine if violent behavior is a function of nature or nurture. The conclusion, violent behavior is due to the adverse childhood environment. ...

Words: 534 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Understanding Behavior

...information|Looks at behavior from an organic standpoint. | | |sequential behavioral differences. Neurological and |needed by educational personnel in| | | |Neurochemical factors, chromosomal abnormalities, |the delivery of educational and | | | |prenatal difficulties, gene defect, postnatal brain |behavior support. | | | |damage. | | | |Developmental Model |As children age, they proceed through several stages |Model fails to inform us |Piaget: Assimilation- fit new stimuli into | | |of development, own unique set of characteristics. |completely in how to adapt to |their comfort zone. | | | |children with atypical |Accommodation- children modify their cognitive | | | |development. |processing. | | |Unconscious processes how environment contributes...

Words: 548 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Environmental Psychology

...and nature of its furnishings help us to interpret what is happening. They provide meaning for the actor’s and actresses’ actions and determine where they can walk, lean, or otherwise interact with props. For the play, the stage and scenery is the environment in which the story unfolds. The meaning of behaviour on the stage and what cab and cannot be done are determined by this environment. The theater would be far less entertaining or educational without the context provided by its environment. ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY: In real life, our behaviour also occurs in the context of an environment, one that is constantly changing and rich in information. Unlike the setting on a stage, however, it provides more than meaning. Our environment also provides us with basic needs for life, including food, water, and air to breathe. It is also modified by our actions, and is irrevocably altered whenever one of us changes it. Our environment includes all of our natural and built surroundings, and is delicately balanced system that can easily be bruised or damaged. Whenever we change some part of it, other parts also change, and these other changes may be unintended or even dangerous. Concerns about what we were doing to our environment reached unprecedented prominence in the 1960s and have continued to be an issue of serious concern as consequences of years of neglect has become apparent. The depletion of the ozone layer of the atmosphere, reports of hospital waste washing up on beaches...

Words: 1355 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Does the Cultural Environment Influence Lifespan Development More Than Our Genes?

...Does the Cultural Environment influence Lifespan Development more than our Genes? This debate has been ongoing for a long period of time where some believe that cultural environment influence lifespan development while others are against the claim. The argument that cultural environment influence the lifespan development of an individual more than genes is true as it is argued that culture is an evolution which is a process that is very different from genetic evolution by natural selection, and it is playing the central role in the production of people’s behavior (Guest, A.M 2011). Genes does not dictate how development will go what they do is that they participate together with the environmental influences in making some of the developmental outcomes to happen. It is also true that genes are involved in human behavior as for every aspect of a person’s phenomenon it is due to the interaction between the environment and the genome. An example that shows how gene is involved in our behavior is in the degree in which we use vision to adjust ourselves, like hitting a baseball and selection of new clothes for kids. The reason behind this is because we have genetically evolved to be sight animals whereby our perception system that is dominant is vision and the next one is hearing. The information that is in our DNA that is supposed to produce morphology and physiology which makes sight very important to us has been molded by natural selection (Guest, A.M 2011). According to evolutionary...

Words: 1415 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

The Behavioral Perspective: How Music Influences Behavior

...Ashley Byrne | The Behavioral Perspective: How music influences behavior This perspective views behavior (except for genetically determined behavior) as the result of environmental experience! Environmental experience (also called learning) is the sum total of all life experiences that the individual has been subjected to in the past and to the new experiences that will impinge on his or her behavior. For the behavioral perspective the emphasis is on factors in the environment that influence behavior, in this discussion such a factor to be examined will be music. The behavioral perspective is still very influential to this day and is responses from pleasurable consequences. Classical and operant conditioning are learned through the behavioral perspective. I have chosen this perspective because it's fascinating to know how much we learn and reinforce the behavior we are exposed to. Through experience, I hope to gain a better understanding of the musical effect on human behavior through the behavioral perspective First to be discussed in order to fully understand the behavioral perspective, the background and foundation of the perspective must be overviewed. The following major founders or those who had a major impact on the behavioral perspective and behaviorism in general are: Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) in The Conditional Reflex, J.B. Watson (1878-1958) in The Founding of Behaviorism, Thorndike (1874-1949) in The Law of Effect, and lastly B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) in...

Words: 1351 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Environmental Psychology

...scientific investigation of mental processes and behavior” (Kowalski & Weston, 2009, p. 4). One of the many disciplines in the dynamic field of psychology is environmental psychology. As with all disciplines of psychology, environmental psychology has a variety of theoretical perspectives. Two such perspectives are evolutionary and behavioral. The following is an introduction to environmental psychology, a description of evolutionary and behavioral perspectives and their application in environmental psychology, as well as an examination of the importance of research in environmental psychology. Environmental psychology is a psychological discipline that examines the relationship between human behavior and the environment. Historically, environmental psychology developed into a discipline in the 1960s, with intent to understand the impact of physical environment on human behavior (Environmental Psychology, 2004). Alfred Adler was one of many theorists who had an elemental role in the developing discipline. Adler observed that an individual’s interpretation of the interaction of organismic and environmental variables significantly affected the personality (Stewart, 2007). His observations had an influential role in the emergence of environmental psychology. Present-day environmental psychology has expanded beyond personality development. Modern environmental psychology is grouped into five main areas of interests: spatial behavior, environmental cognition, environmental assessment...

Words: 907 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Together Nature and Nurture Shape Human Behavior.

...determines human behavior has been going on for many years now, is it nature or nurture? The broad scope of human behavior has compelled researchers across various fields to systematically analyze what compels individuals to act the way they do. Is human behavior encoded in genetics or does it evolve by way of individual experience and environment. Through the review of recent empirical data across these various fields it is clear that both nature and nurture plan an important role in the development of human behavior. Subsequently multidirectional models have emerged with a mounting emphasis on how nature and nurture act independently in addition to collectively each forever shaping the other. Together Nature and Nurture Shape Human Behavior. The discussion concerning the appropriate significance of genetics and environment in human behavior has been around for quite a long while. This topic has generated massive attention, throughout the years, gaining numerous supporters on both sides of the debate. This attention essentially, has lead to some of the most remarkable psychological discoveries in recent years. The terms nature and nurture can be traced back to13th century France, expressed by Francis Galton in 1874 (Nature versus nurture, 2011). The term nurture in refers to the manner in which behavior is shaped by culture and environment. It builds its foundation on John B. Watson's theory of behaviorism, which suggests that human behavior is learned...

Words: 1898 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Market Research on Potential of Dth Technology

...Organizational Behavior Theoretical Framework • Defining Organizational Behavior • Historical Background for Modern Organizational Behavior • Challenges Faced by Management • Organizational Behavior Model Defining Organizational Behavior • Organizational Behavior is an academic discipline concerned with predicting, understanding, describing, and controlling human behavior in an organizational environment. • OB has evolved from early classical management theories into a complex school of thought—and it continues to change in response to the dynamic environment and proliferating corporate cultures in which today's businesses operate. • The task of getting organizations to function effectively is a difficult one. Defining Organizational Behavior • Understanding one individual's behavior is a challenging problem in and of itself. A group, made up of different individuals and multiple relationships among those individuals, is even more complex… In the fact of this overwhelming complexity, Organizational Behavior must be managed. Defining Organizational Behavior • Ultimately the work of organizations gets done through the behavior of people, individually or collectively, on their own or in collaboration with technology. Thus, central to the management task is the management of Organizational Behavior. • To do this, there must be the capacity to understand the patterns of behavior at individual, group, and organization levels, to predict what behavior responses will be...

Words: 1086 - Pages: 5