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4.4 Data and Methods for Studying Human
Decision- Making and Behavior
Including models of human behavior and adaptation in the study of FEW systems
necessitates the collection of data beyond those required for studying the natural
systems in isolation. Data from the natural sciences, including data on climate,
soils, hydrology, and land cover, are needed to specify physical models of environmental systems (i.e., the agricultural, energy, and hydrological systems). Likewise,
data on individuals and their decision-making processes are necessary to inform
models of human behavior and adaptation in FEW systems. The population of interest, the context in which human behavior is being studied, and the scale at which
decisions are made, among others, are all important considerations in determining
the appropriate data collection and research approach. (See Chap. 14 for a more
comprehensive discussion on the types of data used in various FEW system research
and the integration of data on the physical and human systems.)
4.4.1 Primary Data Collection
4.4.1.1 Surveys
Data collected directly from people about their behavior and decision-making processes can be informative about how they are likely to behave in particular settings
and scenarios. A common method of behavioral and decision-making data collection involves surveying individuals from the population of interest. Asking people
about their past behavior, or how they would react and what decisions they would
make in certain hypothetical situations, is one method of collecting these data to
inform models of human decision-making. Surveys can be tailored to the context of
interest, asking a sample of people from a population of interest how they make
decisions in different scenarios.
For example, to learn about how farmers are likely to respond to changing
climate conditions or if new policies were put in place, researchers may conduct
surveys that ask what crops they might plant, or how they might use their land if
certain changes were to occur. Researchers wanting to learn about likely technology adoption may survey consumers about how much they would pay for new
energy- efficient appliances, or under what conditions they would use new
technologies.
Although surveys can be a valuable source of data and provide more detailed
information than secondary sources (see below), they are not without limitations.
For instance, when people are asked how they would behave in a particular scenario,
their response is hypothetical. They may report that they would take a particular
action, or pay a certain amount for new technology, but their behavior may differ
M. Doidge et al.
4.4 Data and Methods for Studying Human
Decision- Making and Behavior
Including models of human behavior and adaptation in the study of FEW systems
necessitates the collection of data beyond those required for studying the natural
systems in isolation. Data from the natural sciences, including data on climate,
soils, hydrology, and land cover, are needed to specify physical models of environmental systems (i.e., the agricultural, energy, and hydrological systems). Likewise,
data on individuals and their decision-making processes are necessary to inform
models of human behavior and adaptation in FEW systems. The population of interest, the context in which human behavior is being studied, and the scale at which
decisions are made, among others, are all important considerations in determining
the appropriate data collection and research approach. (See Chap. 14 for a more
comprehensive discussion on the types of data used in various FEW system research
and the integration of data on the physical and human systems.)
4.4.1 Primary Data Collection
4.4.1.1 Surveys
Data collected directly from people about their behavior and decision-making processes can be informative about how they are likely to behave in particular settings
and scenarios. A common method of behavioral and decision-making data collection involves surveying individuals from the population of interest. Asking people
about their past behavior, or how they would react and what decisions they would
make in certain hypothetical situations, is one method of collecting these data to
inform models of human decision-making. Surveys can be tailored to the context of
interest, asking a sample of people from a population of interest how they make
decisions in different scenarios.
For example, to learn about how farmers are likely to respond to changing
climate conditions or if new policies were put in place, researchers may conduct
surveys that ask what crops they might plant, or how they might use their land if
certain changes were to occur. Researchers wanting to learn about likely technology adoption may survey consumers about how much they would pay for new
energy- efficient appliances, or under what conditions they would use new
technologies.
Although surveys can be a valuable source of data and provide more detailed
information than secondary sources (see below), they are not without limitations.
For instance, when people are asked how they would behave in a particular scenario,
their response is hypothetical. They may report that they would take a particular
action, or pay a certain amount for new technology, but their behavior may differ
M. Doidge et al.