Can dynamic normative feedback enhance household kitchen waste separation? Evidence from two field intervention studies

Imagine if more and more households in your community started separating waste, would this trend inspire you to do the same? Previous research on social norms has been predominantly static, focusing on individual behavior and neglecting the potential of leveraging group dynamics. To address this gap...

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Main Authors: Qiong Zhang, Pingping Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Sustainable Futures
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266618882400193X
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author Qiong Zhang
Pingping Liu
author_facet Qiong Zhang
Pingping Liu
author_sort Qiong Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Imagine if more and more households in your community started separating waste, would this trend inspire you to do the same? Previous research on social norms has been predominantly static, focusing on individual behavior and neglecting the potential of leveraging group dynamics. To address this gap, we conducted two field studies using group feedback to activate dynamic norms. Using an A-B-A time-series design in two communities, we collected 21,555 observations of waste disposal behavior. During the intervention period, we publicly displayed the weekly changing participation rates of household kitchen waste separation within the community, a strategy referred to as dynamic normative feedback. Both communities experienced a significant increase in participation in waste separation. Furthermore, the feedback effect persisted for up to three months after the intervention was removed. Our findings demonstrate that group dynamic normative feedback could be an effective strategy for promoting long-term separation behavior and have implications for waste management.
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series Sustainable Futures
spelling doaj-art-fd18c743d30f4a07bebbf3fd6c2f24f62025-08-20T01:57:59ZengElsevierSustainable Futures2666-18882024-12-01810034410.1016/j.sftr.2024.100344Can dynamic normative feedback enhance household kitchen waste separation? Evidence from two field intervention studiesQiong Zhang0Pingping Liu1CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, ChinaCAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 Lincui Road, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China; Corresponding author.Imagine if more and more households in your community started separating waste, would this trend inspire you to do the same? Previous research on social norms has been predominantly static, focusing on individual behavior and neglecting the potential of leveraging group dynamics. To address this gap, we conducted two field studies using group feedback to activate dynamic norms. Using an A-B-A time-series design in two communities, we collected 21,555 observations of waste disposal behavior. During the intervention period, we publicly displayed the weekly changing participation rates of household kitchen waste separation within the community, a strategy referred to as dynamic normative feedback. Both communities experienced a significant increase in participation in waste separation. Furthermore, the feedback effect persisted for up to three months after the intervention was removed. Our findings demonstrate that group dynamic normative feedback could be an effective strategy for promoting long-term separation behavior and have implications for waste management.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266618882400193XDynamic normsFeedbackNormative perceptionLong-term effectWaste separationField intervention
spellingShingle Qiong Zhang
Pingping Liu
Can dynamic normative feedback enhance household kitchen waste separation? Evidence from two field intervention studies
Sustainable Futures
Dynamic norms
Feedback
Normative perception
Long-term effect
Waste separation
Field intervention
title Can dynamic normative feedback enhance household kitchen waste separation? Evidence from two field intervention studies
title_full Can dynamic normative feedback enhance household kitchen waste separation? Evidence from two field intervention studies
title_fullStr Can dynamic normative feedback enhance household kitchen waste separation? Evidence from two field intervention studies
title_full_unstemmed Can dynamic normative feedback enhance household kitchen waste separation? Evidence from two field intervention studies
title_short Can dynamic normative feedback enhance household kitchen waste separation? Evidence from two field intervention studies
title_sort can dynamic normative feedback enhance household kitchen waste separation evidence from two field intervention studies
topic Dynamic norms
Feedback
Normative perception
Long-term effect
Waste separation
Field intervention
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S266618882400193X
work_keys_str_mv AT qiongzhang candynamicnormativefeedbackenhancehouseholdkitchenwasteseparationevidencefromtwofieldinterventionstudies
AT pingpingliu candynamicnormativefeedbackenhancehouseholdkitchenwasteseparationevidencefromtwofieldinterventionstudies