Which efficacy constructs for large-scale social dilemma problems? Individual and collective forms of efficacy and outcome expectancies in the context of climate change mitigation

Abstract

Effective management of climate change risk requires an understanding of how to encourage positive behaviour change at the collective level. The urgency of the problem and the social dilemma nature of decisions about whether to engage in pro-environmental behaviours raise particular challenges for policy makers and those involved in designing interventions. Evidence reveals that efficacy beliefs (judgements of the ease of carrying out a particular act) and outcome expectancy beliefs (judgements of the value of acts in reaching goals) function as important determinants of human motivation and action (Bandura, 1995). However, efficacy and associated constructs remain poorly theorised at the collective level, particularly in social dilemma situations where goals may exist at both individual and collective levels. We develop a framework that incorporates collective forms of efficacy and outcome expectancy for large-scale, social dilemma situations, and operationalise these constructs. We then discuss how this framework can support us in managing climate change risk by allowing us to identify the specific forms of efficacy and outcome expectancy that should be targeted in research, science communication and policy.