It’s clear that information alone is not enough to change behaviour. Behavioural science allows us to understand how people process, respond to, and share information.

This can help us identify the drivers that transform simple awareness into climate action and daily sustainable habits.

Padraig Walsh, CEO of ChangeAble, runs a behavioural insights agency and explains the importance behind what his organisation does:

 “What we want to do is use the incredible insights from psychology and behavioural science and apply them to make the world a better place.

So many societies' issues such as climate change, health issues, well-being & conflict emerge from human behaviour errors, and we want to disseminate this science and make it relevant in various sectors.”

He shares that policy often focuses on targeting individual motivations and trying to motivate individuals to change when, in fact, people are already motivated and want to be more climate-conscious in their behaviour.

Still, the systems and environments are limiting their capabilities and opportunities for change.

He gives some examples:

“We see this when it comes to financial limitations with the cost of retrofitting or electric cars, educational/skill deficits when wanting to switch to a reduced meat diet, or not having the cooking skills, knowledge, or confidence to change.

We even see opportunities in physical environments that limit activities such as cycling due to safety fears or perceptions of rainfall.”

Padraig proposes an alternative approach, moving away from focusing solely on individual actions. He explains: “In behavioural science, we call this the I-frame (individual), but more of our work is becoming conscious of the S-frame (systems). Behavioural insights can help us design human-centred systems in our environments such as at home, in the workplace, in towns and in society that make climate action easier, more attractive, and the default option.”

He says that our knowledge of human decision-making can help us design these optimal environments for sustainability by making sustainable choices simpler, more accessible, and habitual.

However, we first need to understand that framing matters; humans are more likely to change behaviour when challenges are framed positively rather than negatively. How we communicate about climate change and sustainability influences how we respond.

Padraig explains further:

“Individuals are more likely to feel empowered to act regarding a positive frame such as ‘clean energy will save X number of lives rather than ‘we’re going to go extinct due to climate change’.”

The second sentiment might evoke an emotional response of hopelessness or anxiety and likely won’t lead to effective behaviour change. Since climate change has been considered a behavioural concern, we have been able to instil hope in people and motivate them to take action.

However, he feels this has only been possible due to scientific evidence as the basis and not blind politically motivated actions and promises.

He adds, “Addressing the intention-action gap is an important consideration. Individuals in Ireland are informed about climate change and seldom doubt its existence. They want to take action but may be confused about the ‘how’. Therefore, the mental load on people can be lessened by making changes on a systemic level and making climate actions easier for us mentally.”

Padraig attests that this can be achieved by using social norms to our benefit. We compare ourselves with those we think are similar to us.

For instance, we may compare our energy consumption to that of our neighbours, and a simple statement on our power consumption bills, starting with how we did compared to our vicinity, can be a powerful motivator for communities to become more conscious of energy consumption.

A simple but powerful framework that can be adopted is the EAST model, which stands for Easy, Attractive, Social and Timely.

For example, we may be able to increase the cycling population if it was easier to access cycling routes or if people had easier access to bike-sharing schemes.

Or we can make sustainable meals more attractive in their appearance and description.

Padraig says: “We are habituated to living a certain way, consuming a certain amount of goods or having a particular mode of transportation.

This requires systems-level change and effective policy as much as it requires individual willpower and motivation. Combined, however, behavioural insights and human/planet-centred design offer us hope that change is possible.”

 

This article was brought to you thanks to our collaboration with Climate Journal and the Profit with Purpose digital magazine. Read more articles like this, here.