Topic 3 - Cognitive (Recycling + Other Conservation Behaviours)

Question 1

Antecedent strategies

Answer 1

Occur before the behaviour that we are attempting to change

Question 2

Consequent strategies

Answer 2

Occur after the behaviour has taken place

Question 3

What is the Yale model of Persuasion?

Answer 3

A model that attempts to change attitudes
Developed by Hovland at Yale University

Question 4

What are the uses of the Yale model of Persuasion in terms of the environment?

Answer 4

It can be used as the basis for attempts to change attitudes towards the environment

Question 5

How does the Yale model of persuasion break down communication?

Answer 5

4 major factors to persuasive communication
3 stages to effective communication

Question 6

What does the Yale model of persuasion say are the 4 major factors to persuasive communication?

Answer 6

The source
The message
The recipient
The situation

Question 7

What influence does the Yale model of persuasion say the source has on communication?

Answer 7

Communication is better if the source is:
~ Credible (trusted expert in a field)
~ Attractive
~ Trustworthy

Question 8

What influence does the Yale model of persuasion say the message has on communication?

Answer 8

For a well educated audience a two sided argument works best
For a less well educated audience a one sided argument works best

Question 9

What influence does the Yale model of persuasion say the situation has on communication?

Answer 9

Informal discussion are often more successful than formal situations
Group chats are better than a formal lecture

Question 10

What influence does the Yale model of persuasion say the recipient has on communication?

Answer 10

For people who already have strong views on subject and are resistant to change - attempt smaller attitude changes
For people who are undecided - can attempt larger attitudes changes

Question 11

What does the Yale model of persuasion say are the three stages of effective communication?

Answer 11

Attention - has to be noticed
Comprehension - has to be understood
Acceptance - must be believable

Question 12

Explain Luyben and Bailey’s study:

Answer 12

Study of proximity

Carried out in 4 mobile home parks
Made it easier for people to recycle by increasing the newspaper recycling facilities

Led to a 52% increase in recycling of newspaper

Question 13

What evidence is there behind positive reinforcement in relation to recycling?

Answer 13

A bill was passed in Oregon which gave people $0.05 for every can or bottle returned
Return rate increased by 90%

New York also passed a similar bill
Return rates for glass drink containers increased from 3% to 77%

Both of these are consequent strategies

Question 14

What was the method for Cialdinis study?

Answer 14

Study of social norms

Worked with a large hotel
Encouraged guests to re-use towels instead of having them replaced every day
Researchers randomly assigned one of 5 different messages to 260 guests rooms

Question 15

What were the results of Cialdini’s study

Answer 15

The message that described a social norm (suggests that this is what most people) do was the most successful
The message that described a benefit to the hotel was the least successful

1. Indicated social norm - 41% recycled towels
2. Indicated benefit to future generations - 31% recycled towels
3. Indicated benefit to the hotel - 20% recycled towels

Question 16

What were the conclusions of Cialdini’s study?

Answer 16

When people are figuring out what to do in a new situation they take their cue from what it seems other people’s normal behaviour is
They attempt to identify the social norm for that situation and then follow it

Therefore, using descriptive norm messages that indicate everyone is doing it to promote conservation-minded actions may be most effective

Question 17

What was the aim of Lords study?

Answer 17

Investigate effectiveness of different ways of trying to persuade people to recycle

Specifically:
~ How best to frame messages - either positively (in terms of benefits of recycling) or negatively (in terms of consequences of not recycling)
~ Whether it is best to convey the message in the form or an advert or a personal message

Question 18

What was the sample of Lord’s study?

Answer 18

140 household (20 per condition) were approached in a north eastern US community
57% of respondents were female
43% of respondents were male
Age range of respondents was 19-65 (mean of 34.9)

Question 19

What was the method of Lord’s study?

Answer 19

On bin day student assistants observed and recorded contents of the recycling bin for each household
Total items were recorded and what form of item e.g. cans
The day after a message was left at the front door of each property
Control group has no message
Other 120 had one of 6 messages

Question 20

What was the DV of Lord’s study?

Answer 20

Following week assistants observed bins again and recorded items
The day after each house was visited with a questionnaire containing:

A 7 point likert scale assessing beliefs on recycling (definitely false -definitely true)

A semantic differential scale of attitudes about recycling e.g. good - bad, wise - foolish, favourable - unfavourable

Demographic information also taken e.g. income, gender, age

They were assured of anonymity and asked to return the questionnaire in a sealed envelope

Question 21

Explain the IV in Lord’s study:

Answer 21

Either control group or combination of

Message sources:
Advertisement – Looked like an advert from a company who distributes environmentally friendly products
Publicity – described as having recently appeared in a local news publication
Personal Influence – A letter signed by a student and addressed to a personal acquaintance

Message approach:
Positive Messages – focuses on the benefits of recycling, this could be on the individual or society
Negative Messages – Focus on the risks and consequences of not recycling

Question 22

What were the results of Lord’s study?

Answer 22

Those who received a message showed an increase in total items recycled and categories of items recycled compared to the control group

The positively framed message had a significant increase in favourable attitudes towards recycling and beliefs in the rationale for recycling compared to the negatively framed message

The positive framed advertising stimulus was the most successful in terms of changing beliefs
The negatively framed personal influence stimulus was the most successful in terms of changing behaviour

Question 23

What were the conclusions of Lord’s study?

Answer 23

A combination of message types is the most successful

Having both positive and negative messages in a single message could produce attitude benefits from the positive message and behavioural benefits from the negative message

To increase recycling a positively framed message in the mass media as well as recruiting concerned consumers to convey negatively framed personal messages amongst their friends & neighbours, would be most effective