Topic 3: Recycling and other Conservation Behaviours: Additional Studies Flashcards
(Topic 3: Additional Studies) Hovlands’ YMoP: When was it first developed?
Was first developed by Hovland at Yale University in the 1950’s.
(Topic 3: Additional Studies) Hovlands’ YMoP: What can it be used for?
It can be used as the basis for attempts to change attitudes towards the environment.
(Topic 3: Additional Studies) Hovlands’ YMoP: What are the 4 major factors involved?
1) The Source
2) The Message
3) The Recipient
4) The Situation
(Topic 3: Additional Studies) Hovlands’ YMoP: Describe ‘The Source’.
Better if the source of the message is credible (a trusted expert in a field), attractive and trustworthy.
(Topic 3: Additional Studies) Hovlands’ YMoP: Describe ‘The Message’.
For a well educated audience then a 2 sided argument works best, one sided
arguments are best for less well educated individuals.
(Topic 3: Additional Studies) Hovlands’ YMoP: Describe ‘The Situation’.
Informal discussion are often more successful than formal situations. So a group chat is better than a formal lecture.
(Topic 3: Additional Studies) Hovlands’ YMoP: Describe ‘The Recipient’.
If delivering a message to people who already have strong views on the subject and are resistant to change then smaller attitude changes should be attempted, if the recipient is undecided then a larger attitude change can be attempted.
(Topic 3: Additional Studies) Hovlands’ YMoP: Describe ‘3 stages of effective communication’.
1) Attention – it has to be noticed
2) Comprehension – has to be understood
3) Acceptance – must be believable
(Topic 3: Additional Studies) Consequent Strategies: Describe the type of reinforcement used and the effects of each bill that was passed.
Positive Reinforcement
When a bill was passed in Oregon which gave people $0.05 for every can or bottle returned the return rate increased by 90%.
New York also passed a similar bill with an increase from 3% to 77% for glass drinks containers.
(Topic 3: Additional Studies) Luyben & Bailey 1979: Describe the study, including the results.
Carried out in 4 mobile home parks.
Making it easier for people to recycle
by increasing the newspaper recycling
facilities led to a 52% increase in recycling of newspapers.
(Topic 3: Additional Studies) Cialdini: Describe the method of the study.
Worked with a large hotel to encourage guests to re-use their towels rather than having them replaced every day. Researchers randomly
assigned one of 5 different messages to 260 guests rooms.
(Topic 3: Additional Studies) Cialdini: State the 5 different messages and what each focuses on.
1) “Help the hotel save energy,” (focusing on the benefit to the hotel).
2) “Help save the environment”(emphasising environmental protection).
3) “Partner with us to help save the environment,” (centring on environmental cooperation).
4) “Help save resources for future
generations,”(highlighting the benefit to future generations).
5) “Join your fellow citizens in helping to save the environment,” (focusing on the social norm).
(Topic 3: Additional Studies) Cialdini: Describe the results from this study.
The last message (considered a social norm as it suggests that this is what most people do) was the most successful.
41% of guests with this message recycled their towels.
The next most successful message was the one indicating benefit to future generations (31%).
The least successful was the one that benefitted the hotel (20%).
