303
2009) and on their brain having evolved to prospect the future not just track the past
(Seligman et al. 2013). The small experiment approach supports behavioural innovation, maintains local relevance and allows for the rapid dissemination of findings.
It contrasts with the large-scale approach that dominates research these days, in that
it helps non-scientists systematically discover what works in their community.
Small experiments are going on all the time. They are often the basis of stories told
by gardeners, teachers, do-it-yourself creators and community organisers. They are
present when experts and citizens jointly apply their separate talents and knowledge
to an issue of mutual concern. Small experiments are so common that they could be
mistaken as inconsequential. In fact, they are a powerful means of behavioural
experimentation.
13.4.2 Behavioural Entrepreneurship
Clearly, the needed interventions change when addressing the new behavioural context. No longer adequate are approaches focused on single and specific behaviours.
If this were not challenging enough, even with our current expertise we are unable
to know exactly which future behaviours will need promoting. Thus, what we must
support is the capacity of future citizens to identify the needed behaviours without
our being there. Furthermore, citizens also would need to innovatively execute and
maintain those behaviours in that future. Taken together, such capacities constitute
entrepreneurial thought, craft and action. In the present, this calls for a unique form
of intervention. We need to support behavioural entrepreneurs by creating conditions today under which individuals develop the capacity to anticipate, envision and
prospect a future context. Then, when later they are in that context, those individuals
will be able to craft innovative responses and self-regulate their behaviour to carry
out those responses. The shift here is subtle, and perhaps appears academic, but it is
a move away from expert-driven, delivery-based interventions toward the facilitation of citizen-developed interventions occurring in a partially unknowable future
context.
This is neither a radical nor an unfamiliar approach although it is rarely used in
the current rush to promote behaviour change. It is derived from Lewin’s (1952)
pioneering work using citizen groups to affect fundamental change by first honestly
presenting people with the situation being faced and then giving them the trust, time
and support needed to craft their own responses. Programs based on Lewin’s
approach are being developed to promote environmental stewardship (Fisher and
Irvine 2016; Matthies and Kromker 2000) including the community-based initiatives called Ecoteams (Davidson 2011; Nye and Burgess 2008; Staats and Harland
1995; Staats et al. 2004). There are also larger-scale examples including eco- housing
and ecovillages (Litfin 2013; Nelson 2018) and transition towns (Hopkins 2008). It
is significant that the larger-scale examples were neither initiated nor supported by
corporations, governments or major environmental organisations, instead they self13 Supporting Behavioural Entrepreneurs: Using the Biodiversity-Health Relationship…
2009) and on their brain having evolved to prospect the future not just track the past
(Seligman et al. 2013). The small experiment approach supports behavioural innovation, maintains local relevance and allows for the rapid dissemination of findings.
It contrasts with the large-scale approach that dominates research these days, in that
it helps non-scientists systematically discover what works in their community.
Small experiments are going on all the time. They are often the basis of stories told
by gardeners, teachers, do-it-yourself creators and community organisers. They are
present when experts and citizens jointly apply their separate talents and knowledge
to an issue of mutual concern. Small experiments are so common that they could be
mistaken as inconsequential. In fact, they are a powerful means of behavioural
experimentation.
13.4.2 Behavioural Entrepreneurship
Clearly, the needed interventions change when addressing the new behavioural context. No longer adequate are approaches focused on single and specific behaviours.
If this were not challenging enough, even with our current expertise we are unable
to know exactly which future behaviours will need promoting. Thus, what we must
support is the capacity of future citizens to identify the needed behaviours without
our being there. Furthermore, citizens also would need to innovatively execute and
maintain those behaviours in that future. Taken together, such capacities constitute
entrepreneurial thought, craft and action. In the present, this calls for a unique form
of intervention. We need to support behavioural entrepreneurs by creating conditions today under which individuals develop the capacity to anticipate, envision and
prospect a future context. Then, when later they are in that context, those individuals
will be able to craft innovative responses and self-regulate their behaviour to carry
out those responses. The shift here is subtle, and perhaps appears academic, but it is
a move away from expert-driven, delivery-based interventions toward the facilitation of citizen-developed interventions occurring in a partially unknowable future
context.
This is neither a radical nor an unfamiliar approach although it is rarely used in
the current rush to promote behaviour change. It is derived from Lewin’s (1952)
pioneering work using citizen groups to affect fundamental change by first honestly
presenting people with the situation being faced and then giving them the trust, time
and support needed to craft their own responses. Programs based on Lewin’s
approach are being developed to promote environmental stewardship (Fisher and
Irvine 2016; Matthies and Kromker 2000) including the community-based initiatives called Ecoteams (Davidson 2011; Nye and Burgess 2008; Staats and Harland
1995; Staats et al. 2004). There are also larger-scale examples including eco- housing
and ecovillages (Litfin 2013; Nelson 2018) and transition towns (Hopkins 2008). It
is significant that the larger-scale examples were neither initiated nor supported by
corporations, governments or major environmental organisations, instead they self13 Supporting Behavioural Entrepreneurs: Using the Biodiversity-Health Relationship…