This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by De Young, R. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Changing Behavior and Making it Stick

The Conceptualization and Management of Conservation Behavior

University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment

A sustainable planet is not possible without patterns of conserving behavior. The resource-costly life-styles that are characteristic of the current scene present a historic challenge. Never before have so many behaviors needed to change in so short a time. More challenging is that they must stay changed. For many reasons the techniques commonly used to promote conservation behavior are more reliable at modulating short-term behavior than at achieving durable change. The perceived urgency of environmental problems tends to make immediate behavior change the major focus. But of equal importance is the stability of behavior once changed. Thus one goal of conservation behavior research is to discover techniques that change individual behavior while minimizing or eliminating the need for repeated intervention. This article categerorizes behavior change techniques first by their informational or motivational nature and second by the source of the change: derived from others or gained by direct personal involvement. Evaluating selected techniques using five proposed dimensions suggests why durable behavior change has been so hard to achieve. Research implications are discussed.

Environment and Behavior, Vol. 25, No. 3, 485-505 (1993)
DOI: 10.1177/0013916593253003


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Kurz, M. Linden, and N. Sheehy Attitudinal and Community Influences on Participation in New Curbside Recycling Initiatives in Northern Ireland Environment and Behavior, May 1, 2007; 39(3): 367 - 391. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. Bratt The Impact of Norms and Assumed Consequences on Recycling Behavior Environment and Behavior, September 1, 1999; 31(5): 630 - 656. [Abstract] [PDF]

				E. Kals, D. Schumacher, and L. Montada Emotional Affinity toward Nature as a Motivational Basis to Protect Nature Environment and Behavior, March 1, 1999; 31(2): 178 - 202. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Clayton Preference for Macrojustice Versus Microjustice in Environmental Decisions Environment and Behavior, March 1, 1998; 30(2): 162 - 183. [Abstract]

				F. L. Margai Analyzing Changes in Waste Reduction Behavior in a Low-Income Urban Community Following a Public Outreach Program Environment and Behavior, November 1, 1997; 29(6): 769 - 792. [Abstract]

				R. De Young Some Psychological Aspects of Reduced Consumption Behavior: The Role of Intrinsic Satisfaction and Competence Motivation Environment and Behavior, May 1, 1996; 28(3): 358 - 409. [Abstract]

				S. Oskamp, L. Zelezny, P. W. Schultz, S. Hurin, and R. Burkhardt Commingled Versus Separated Curbside Recycling: Does Sorting Matter? Environment and Behavior, January 1, 1996; 28(1): 73 - 91. [Abstract]

				M. A. Reams, J. P. Geaghan, and R. C. Gendron The Link between Recycling and Litter: A Field Study Environment and Behavior, January 1, 1996; 28(1): 92 - 110. [Abstract]

				D. G. Karp Values and their Effect on Pro-Environmental Behavior Environment and Behavior, January 1, 1996; 28(1): 111 - 133. [Abstract]