Motivating pro-environmental actions by reinforcing attitutdes

What is it about?

In advertising and social marketing, we are often talking to those who already believe in what we are advocating. The task is to motivate behavior rather than change minds. This is true with pro-environmental actions: Most people in our research had pro-environmental attitudes, but the link between those attitudes and actions was weak. We showed college students video clips from HGTV programs showing homeowners making renovation decisions based on a desire to be eco-friendly. Other students saw the same episodes with the eco-friendly themes edited out. After viewing those clips, their pro-environmental attitudes had been reinforced: it was easier for them to bring those attitudes to mind. This, in turn, made them say they were more likely to do the kinds of behaviors they saw in the program, but also, to engage in other eco-friendly behavior that was not shown in the program. This attitude reinforcement helped to strengthen the link between attitudes and behavior.

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Why is it important?

Changing behavior is an important goal for communicators, whether we are trying to increase recycling, encourage vaccination, or increase sales. Our finding that we can reinforce attitudes by showing people engaging in these behaviors in the media is powerful. This increases the tools that can be used to encourage eco-friendly or healthy behaviors in those who already desire to live in a healthy planet or to live healthy lives. Reinforcing existing attitudes to encourage behavior may be easier that trying to change attitudes.

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