Output details

Exploring catalyst behaviours: full Report: a report to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Finding effective ways to influence people to behave more sustainably is a key policy goal for government. Dr Thomas has carried out research on understanding public recycling behaviour to help local authorities improve the design of recycling schemes, including with Hampshire County Council (1999-2007), Western Riverside Waste Authority in London (2002-3) and Milton Keynes Council (1990-5). Drawing on understanding derived from that research, she contributed to the research project ‘Exploring catalyst behaviours’ which was commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to provide evidence on whether participation in certain pro-environmental behaviours, such as recycling, can catalyse wider behaviour change and be used in designing innovative interventions to influence behaviours. The project research report presents a thorough review of the evidence for spillover amongst pro-environmental behaviours and took a multi-disciplinary approach. It brings together: a review of academic and grey literature; primary evidence from practice from organisations and practitioners working in the field of behaviour change; evidence from international experts on behaviour change; qualitative research with members of the public to explore conceptual associations people draw among different behaviours; and statistical analysis of Defra's attitudes and behaviours survey to explore co-occurrence of pro-environmental behaviours in practice. The research developed a classification of types of catalyst effects and explored possible social-psychological mechanisms for spillover. Its conclusions for policy and practice identified ways for designing policy interventions to best exploit this effect. It has contributed to the ongoing debate of how to most effectively encourage more sustainable living. It has particular relevance for both policy and practice in identifying where exploiting spillover and social norm effects can underpin innovative approaches to target behavioural change interventions. The results of this research have been presented at national and international academic and practitioner conferences and in a journal paper.