232
V. Odell et al.
4.1 Framing the Message
The contested definition of sustainability is problematic when trying to embed
sustainability across the university, as each discipline conceptualises it differently.
Shome and Marx (2009) provides the benefits of message framing through organising an issue around a central context, whilst linking this to immediate action with the
use of ‘shortcuts’ and symbols, as the SDGs have done for sustainability. The SDGs
framework is the perfect opportunity to bring a common understanding of sustainability across the disciplines at the university illustrated previously by Molthan-Hill
et al. (2015).
This central framework for sustainability is helpful to encourage positive
behaviour change across the institution. Not only can they explore sustainability
in many different dimensions by focusing on a few of the 17 individual goals or
underlying 169 targets, they can be used to encourage individual action and promoting self-efficacy. The challenge is to translate these targets into action, framing a
message that is not just facts and data but to also tell a story that ignites our imagination for what can be done. It should be noted that with the 17 goals and 169
underlying targets, the SDGs are complex in what they are trying to achieve, but also
complex to understand when first seeing them. Therefore communicating a few of
them at a single time so that they are not overwhelming, and in a way that draws
attention is a central feature of the visual displays project.
Transforming the global goals into action depends on how individuals respond to
information given to them during the visual displays. Graham and Abrahamse (2017)
state the importance of peoples pre-existing values, and tapping into these to enhance
the effectiveness of communication campaigns. Their study on people’s attitudes and
values towards eating meat, framed messaging around two values sets, the extrinsic
self-enhancing value set which looks at how the individual will benefit, compared to
the intrinsic self-transcendence value set that may be influenced by more collective
framed messaging. Therefore, framing messaging to your intended audience is vitally
important and tailoring these messages to suit their particular value set will be the
best approach to influence students and staff attitudes and behaviour. Our main target
audience, the students, are at a point in their lives where they have chosen to come to
university to enhance career progression and enjoy themselves, therefore individually
framed messaging may be more appropriate. However, Shome and Marx (2009) state
the importance of framing from multiple perspectives therefore messages that show
our collective impacts were also used during the display. Insights from psychological
science (van der Linden et al. 2015) advocate that people evaluate losses and gains
differently, and by focusing on positive ‘gains’ from actions that individual staff and
students can take this will increase the support of working towards the SDGs during
the visual displays.
V. Odell et al.
4.1 Framing the Message
The contested definition of sustainability is problematic when trying to embed
sustainability across the university, as each discipline conceptualises it differently.
Shome and Marx (2009) provides the benefits of message framing through organising an issue around a central context, whilst linking this to immediate action with the
use of ‘shortcuts’ and symbols, as the SDGs have done for sustainability. The SDGs
framework is the perfect opportunity to bring a common understanding of sustainability across the disciplines at the university illustrated previously by Molthan-Hill
et al. (2015).
This central framework for sustainability is helpful to encourage positive
behaviour change across the institution. Not only can they explore sustainability
in many different dimensions by focusing on a few of the 17 individual goals or
underlying 169 targets, they can be used to encourage individual action and promoting self-efficacy. The challenge is to translate these targets into action, framing a
message that is not just facts and data but to also tell a story that ignites our imagination for what can be done. It should be noted that with the 17 goals and 169
underlying targets, the SDGs are complex in what they are trying to achieve, but also
complex to understand when first seeing them. Therefore communicating a few of
them at a single time so that they are not overwhelming, and in a way that draws
attention is a central feature of the visual displays project.
Transforming the global goals into action depends on how individuals respond to
information given to them during the visual displays. Graham and Abrahamse (2017)
state the importance of peoples pre-existing values, and tapping into these to enhance
the effectiveness of communication campaigns. Their study on people’s attitudes and
values towards eating meat, framed messaging around two values sets, the extrinsic
self-enhancing value set which looks at how the individual will benefit, compared to
the intrinsic self-transcendence value set that may be influenced by more collective
framed messaging. Therefore, framing messaging to your intended audience is vitally
important and tailoring these messages to suit their particular value set will be the
best approach to influence students and staff attitudes and behaviour. Our main target
audience, the students, are at a point in their lives where they have chosen to come to
university to enhance career progression and enjoy themselves, therefore individually
framed messaging may be more appropriate. However, Shome and Marx (2009) state
the importance of framing from multiple perspectives therefore messages that show
our collective impacts were also used during the display. Insights from psychological
science (van der Linden et al. 2015) advocate that people evaluate losses and gains
differently, and by focusing on positive ‘gains’ from actions that individual staff and
students can take this will increase the support of working towards the SDGs during
the visual displays.