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are observed when the promotion of a particular behavioral or attitudinal change has
an effect opposite of what was intended. For example, messaging aimed at increasing people’s awareness about the potential impacts of climate change has been
found to decrease support for policies aimed at addressing climate change among
certain populations (Hart & Nisbet 2012). There are many potential mechanisms to
explain this effect, but the idea of psychological reactance is one such mechanism.
Reactance occurs when someone feels threatened by new information or the actions
of others, and so they choose to act out in ways to restore their sense of freedom or
autonomy (e.g., acting out of spite).
4.3.5 Behavioral Spillover
In addition to accounting for potential unanticipated behavioral responses to policy,
it is important to acknowledge the potential connections among FEW behaviors
themselves. Behavioral spillover occurs when engaging in a target behavior is
linked to the performance of another, seemingly unrelated behavior.
Spillover may be positive when an increase in one sustainable FEW behavior is
associated with an increase in another. For instance, restrictions on outdoor irrigation may lead to a family reducing water used for irrigation as well as conserving
water in other household activities, like reducing shower times.
Spillover may also be negative, such as when a homeowner increases air conditioning use after adopting water conservation measures, often as a result of moral
licensing or the idea that she has already done her part. Spillover can occur within
one given FEW domain, such as when engaging in one water conservation behavior
influences another water conservation behavior, or across FEW domains, such as
water conservation impacting energy conservation behavior.
Because spillover is defined as a causal process whereby the performance of one
behavior causes a subsequent behavior, spillover studies must establish temporal
order of behaviors to make a case for causality. The link between the target and
spillover behaviors is mediated by the spillover pathway—the psychosocial mechanisms, such as moral licensing, that account for the relationship between seemingly
independent behaviors. The second case study below provides an example of behavioral spillover.
4.3.6 Individual and Collective Decision-Making in FEW
Systems
Decisions made collectively, such as at the community level or through policies instituted by various levels of government, have the potential for significant environmental impact and for addressing the many resource problems within FEW systems.
These decisions are likely to be different from those made by individuals, and thus
4 Human Behavior and Adaptation
are observed when the promotion of a particular behavioral or attitudinal change has
an effect opposite of what was intended. For example, messaging aimed at increasing people’s awareness about the potential impacts of climate change has been
found to decrease support for policies aimed at addressing climate change among
certain populations (Hart & Nisbet 2012). There are many potential mechanisms to
explain this effect, but the idea of psychological reactance is one such mechanism.
Reactance occurs when someone feels threatened by new information or the actions
of others, and so they choose to act out in ways to restore their sense of freedom or
autonomy (e.g., acting out of spite).
4.3.5 Behavioral Spillover
In addition to accounting for potential unanticipated behavioral responses to policy,
it is important to acknowledge the potential connections among FEW behaviors
themselves. Behavioral spillover occurs when engaging in a target behavior is
linked to the performance of another, seemingly unrelated behavior.
Spillover may be positive when an increase in one sustainable FEW behavior is
associated with an increase in another. For instance, restrictions on outdoor irrigation may lead to a family reducing water used for irrigation as well as conserving
water in other household activities, like reducing shower times.
Spillover may also be negative, such as when a homeowner increases air conditioning use after adopting water conservation measures, often as a result of moral
licensing or the idea that she has already done her part. Spillover can occur within
one given FEW domain, such as when engaging in one water conservation behavior
influences another water conservation behavior, or across FEW domains, such as
water conservation impacting energy conservation behavior.
Because spillover is defined as a causal process whereby the performance of one
behavior causes a subsequent behavior, spillover studies must establish temporal
order of behaviors to make a case for causality. The link between the target and
spillover behaviors is mediated by the spillover pathway—the psychosocial mechanisms, such as moral licensing, that account for the relationship between seemingly
independent behaviors. The second case study below provides an example of behavioral spillover.
4.3.6 Individual and Collective Decision-Making in FEW
Systems
Decisions made collectively, such as at the community level or through policies instituted by various levels of government, have the potential for significant environmental impact and for addressing the many resource problems within FEW systems.
These decisions are likely to be different from those made by individuals, and thus
4 Human Behavior and Adaptation