Abstract
Little is known on how to encourage effortful (rather than effortless) conservation behaviors, and prior research investigated only single (rather than multiple) message appeals in terms of their persuasive power in promoting pro-environmental intentions. The current study uses a framework from evolutionary psychology to propose and test a blend of message appeals that is most likely to drive green behaviors perceived as effortful. An experiment with a 2 (yes versus no anthropomorphic cue) × 2 (negative versus positive message frame) between-subjects design was run, and effort was included as a measured factor. The findings reveal that negatively framed messages are most effective in prompting effortful (but not effortless) pro-environmental intentions only when they are coupled with anthropomorphic cues (no differences between loss and gain messages were found when no anthropomorphism was used). These effects were replicated across two types of behaviors: water conservation and waste reduction.
Highlights
In 2016 each EU inhabitant generated 5 tons of waste, but only 37% was recycled [1]
We found the main effects of anthropomorphic cues on anthropomorphism (plastic reduction: Manthropomorphic cue = 4.76 versus Mno anthropomorphic cue = 3.96, F(1,186) = 7.68, p < 0.01; saving water: Manthropomorphic cue = 4.41 versus Mno anthropomorphic cue = 3.50; F(1,192) = 8.31, p < 0.01; no other effects were significant: Fs < 2.59, ps > 0.10)
These results were replicated across two domains of sustainable behaviors
Summary
In 2016 each EU inhabitant generated 5 tons of waste, but only 37% was recycled [1]. In 2017 Portugal and Poland generated around 150–170 kg of packaging waste per person and recycled just 50% of it, while Hungary and Iceland’s recycling rates were well below 50% [2]. In Australia, Japan, or the US wastewater reuse rates were lower than 10% in the early 2000s [4]. This (and other factors) has led to increasing water scarcity and water-related disasters. Water stress affects most continents, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) even predicts that the global water deficit might rise to 40% by 2030 [5]. Given all these figures, there is still much to do in the area of recycling and conservation habits
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