scholarly journals Social Tipping Interventions Can Promote the Diffusion or Decay of Sustainable Consumption Norms in the Field. Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Intervention Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3529
Author(s):  
Joël Berger
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Consumption Decisions ◽  
Policy Tool ◽  
Field Evidence ◽  
Current Prevalence ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Recent Laboratory

The diffusion of environmentally sustainable consumption patterns is crucial for reaching net carbon neutrality. As a promising policy tool for reaching this goal, scholars have put forward social tipping interventions (SOTIs). “Social tipping” refers to the phenomenon that a small initial change in a parameter of a social system can create abrupt, nonlinear change via self-reinforcing feedback. If this reduces the burden on the environment, it is of potential interest for environmental policy. SOTIs are attempts to create social tipping intentionally. SOTIs produce rapid norm changes in laboratory experiments. However, little is known about the potential of SOTIs in the field. This research reports on a field intervention promoting the consumption of hot beverages in reusable mugs instead of one-way cups, conducted at Swiss university cafeterias (N = 162,523 consumption decisions). Two SOTIs involved an appeal promoting sustainable consumption with regular feedback about the current prevalence of sustainable consumption. Two control treatments involved either the same appeal without feedback or no intervention. This research offers three key findings. First, SOTIs involving regular normative feedback can transform sustainable consumption from a minority behavior into a social norm within weeks. Second, tipping points in real-world environmental dilemmas may exceed the values found in recent laboratory experiments (≥50% vs. ≥25%). Third, SOTIs can also promote the decay of sustainable consumption. By implication, the risk-free use of SOTIs requires deeper insights into the boundary conditions of these dynamics.

Fighting climate change: What’s being mindful, outside and at school got to do with it?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Pham
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Terror Management Theory ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
Management Theory ◽  
Connection To Nature ◽  
Consumption Behavior ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Existential Crisis ◽  
Undergraduate Programs

Although climate change education strategies have succeeded in spreading awareness, they also create a sense of fear and urgency that not only fails to change environmentally unsustainable behavior but may increase this behavior. The failure of current strategies and the paradoxical increase of environmentally unsustainable behavior may be explained by a theory known as terror management theory. This theory posits that if people are faced with an existential crisis, like climate change, they may cling even tighter onto their current ways. A novel solution to alleviate terror management theory is inspiring and empowering people. Inspiration and empowerment will teach people to see environmentally sustainable behavior as a healthier alternative to their current ways rather than an existential crisis. Therefore, they are more likely to welcome change rather than fear it. My study aims to see if mindfulness, connection to nature, and differing undergraduate programs affects sustainable consumption behavior. These factors are thought to inspire and empower people. If these factors can affect sustainable consumption behavior, then they may inspire and empower people to fight climate change. I predict that individuals who are more mindful and connected to nature will also have more sustainable consumption behavior. Furthermore, programs that highlight environmental issues will allow students to have a better connection to nature and more sustainable consumption behavior. If there is evidence to support, my hypotheses then factors that influence sustainable consumption behavior should be taught in schools. These factors would not only increase environmental behavior but increase the student’s overall wellbeing.

scholarly journals Upper Extremity Biomechanics and Gender: The Effects of Modern Computing Technologies

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 967-971
Author(s):  
Sarah M. Coppola ◽  
Jack.T Dennerlein
Keyword(s):  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Activity Performance ◽  
Repetitive Injury ◽  
Technical Specifications ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Forearm Muscle ◽  
Recent Laboratory

Mobile computing devices are often designed with a one-size-fits-all approach, and consumers purchase devices based off of technical specifications rather than whether the devices fit them. Female gender is associated with higher risks of upper extremity repetitive injury, which may be caused by the generally smaller anthropometry of women (Cote, 2011; Won, Johnson, Punnett, & Dennerlein, 2009). This paper explores two mobile technologies’ effects on forearm muscle activity, performance, and self-reported experience within each gender for two recent laboratory experiments. A typing study with four short travel keyboards showed that female participants are more affected by different key switch designs than male participants. A touchscreen thumb swiping study revealed that male and female participants were similarly affected by tablet size, swipe location, and swipe direction. These results demonstrate the need to include both genders in usability testing for mobile technology and to consider individual differences when designing technologies.

A cyclical model of production and consumption waste management: Organizational and financial aspects at the regional level

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 1296-1320
Author(s):  
Anna L. SABININA ◽  
Svetlana A. IZMALKOVA ◽  
Irina V. SYCHEVA ◽  
Aleksandr S. VASIN ◽  
Natal'ya A. SYCHEVA
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Regional Economy ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Production And Consumption ◽  
Regional Project ◽  
Knowledge Intensive ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Consumption Waste

Subject. We focus on activation of activities at the regional economy level to transform the linear model of production and consumption waste management into the most rational and environmentally sustainable cyclical model. Objectives. The aim is to develop a cyclical model for the rational organization of activities in the field of production and consumption waste management to reduce the volume of disposal to zero in the foreseeable future. Methods. The study employs methods of economic and statistical analysis and methods of project management theory. Results. The study presents a methodological approach to the organization and financing of rational and environmentally sustainable activities at the level of the Federal subject in the field of waste management, based on a cyclical model. To build the model, the following principles are used: consistency, complexity of basic elements, cyclical actions of progressive and recurrent nature, industry characteristics, constructive interaction of the State, business, banks and the population to reduce the impact on the environment. Conclusions. The implementation of the "Management of Production and Consumption Waste Based on the Principles of a Cyclical Model" regional project will enable to solve the problem of environmental pollution of territories, including the solid municipal waste. The project success is determined by the extent, to which the waste management sector of the regional economy is knowledge-intensive, technologically advanced, and financially secure to reduce the environmental impact in terms of adherence to the carbon neutrality policy.

Judgment Based Marketing Decision Models: Problems and Possible Solutions

1981 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dipankar Chakravarti ◽  
Andrew Mitchell ◽  
Richard Staelin
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Decision Models ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Marketing Decision ◽  
Recent Laboratory

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the findings of two field studies and three recent laboratory experiments that assessed the efficacy of judgment based models in aiding marketing decision making. This analysis indicates factors that may affect the effectiveness of these models. The implications of the findings for users of judgment based marketing decision models as well as model builders are discussed, and suggestions are made for future research to improve the models’ effectiveness.

scholarly journals Introducing Phenomenological Research Methodology in Sustainable Consumption Literature: Illustrations From India

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 160940691984055
Author(s):  
Soumyajit Bhar
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Understanding ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Consumer Goods ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Phenomenological Research ◽  
Consumption Patterns ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Situated Identity ◽  
Indian Cities

In this age of rising consumerism, it is evident that we need to move toward a more environmentally sustainable and socially just form of consumption patterns by surpassing the impasse currently faced by various sustainable consumption policies. Without any further delay, we need to embrace an apt methodological orientation to gain a better socioculturally situated conceptual understanding of consumers and a means to obtain empirical insights into drivers of socioenvironmentally impactful consumption patterns to be able to proceed toward efficacious sustainable consumption policies. This article proposes a phenomenological research methodology–based conceptual framing and a step-by-step methodological approach based on that framing to gain an in-depth understanding of how consumers being socioculturally situated identity projects–driven subjects embed consumer goods as integral parts of their life narratives and how that in turn acts as the drivers of their consumption. The elaborated steps of interpreting collected consumer narratives are presented with examples from an empirical research conducted in a few Indian cities. Critical reflections on diverse issues that may arise while employing this methodology in similar contexts like India are then discussed. The conclusion highlights how this understanding of consumer could make a novel contribution to sustainable consumption literature.

Exploring Relationship among Green Product Intention and its Determinants

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rohit Bhagat ◽  
Vinay Chauhan
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Behaviour ◽  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
Environmental Knowledge ◽  
Consumption Pattern ◽  
Green Product ◽  
Green Products ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Perceived Consumer Effectiveness ◽  
Purchasing Patterns

In the recent years there has been a lot of growth in consumer intention towards purchasing green products. Environmental concern has been described as a vital force for achieving sustainable development. Evidences reveal that increasing environmental concern has positively influenced the consumption pattern of green products. This has lead to the concept of sustainable consumption in the behaviour which in turn led to a greater faith in energy efficient products and appliances for environmentally sustainable consumers. The last decade has witnessed an impressive increase in Environmental concern which has had a greater effect on consumer intention for the Green products. The increase of the environmental knowledge has had a thoughtful effect on consumer behaviour, with the green product market expanding at a remarkable rate The present study shows that environment concern is evidently predicted from consumers’ purchasing patterns, with consumers increasingly preferring to buy ‘green products. The study tries to develop relationship among environmental knowledge, normative beliefs and perceived consumer effectiveness, and their effect on intention towards sustainable green products.

Non neutral Plasmas in the Laboratory and Astrophysics

1985 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Curtis Michel
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Light Cylinder ◽  
Rotator Model ◽  
Recent Laboratory ◽  
The Way

AbstractRecent laboratory experiments have confirmed theoretical expectations that the aligned rotator model (Goldreich and Julian 1969) does not function in the way originally expected, if at all. These experiments confirm that the nonneutral (completely charge-separated) plasma is isolated into finite regions, which in the case of the magnetosphere about an aligned rotator means in general that there is no plasma from the neutron star to be found at the light-cylinder. Hence the interesting pulsar-like properties originally postulated no longer follow.

scholarly journals Evolution of Consumption Behavior of Silver Singles in Poland

2021 ◽  
Vol 4/2021 (94) ◽  
pp. 51-80
Author(s):  
Tomasz Zalega ◽  
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Sustainable Consumption ◽  
University Graduates ◽  
Consumption Behavior ◽  
Consumer Ethnocentrism ◽  
Consumption Decisions ◽  
Consumer Segment ◽  
The One ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to analyze, based on the author’s own research, the relationship between lifestyle and selected consumer trends reflected in specific consumption behavior of silver singles. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis is based on a survey questionnaire administered between 1 February and 30 October 2019 in a sample of 2476 elderly people living alone in ten Polish cities of various populations and sizes. In accordance with the research assumptions, the sample included persons over 65 years of age who took independent consumption decisions in the market. This research method was chosen in view of the older age of respondents whose openness to new media often used in direct research is limited. Findings: The research shows that among the surveyed silver singles, men more often than women act in line with the cocooning and consumer ethnocentrism trends. It also reveals a strong correlation between cocooning and consumer ethnocentrism on the one hand and the level of education and monthly disposable income of silver singles on the other. As regards sustainable consumption, the proportion of silver singles who declared that they acted in line with that idea was much higher among women than men as well as among university graduates, those earning a monthly income of more than PLN 3000.00, and actively attending UTA courses. Research limitations/implications: Given the limited financial capacity, the study of consumer behavior matching the idea of cocooning, consumer ethnocentrism and sustainable consumption among silver singles was confined to a survey conducted in the biggest Polish cities. It was not possible to carry out research among single seniors living in rural areas. Following the conclusions made, they should not be treated as representative of the population of Polish silver singles. They only provide some insight into actual consumer behaviors of this consumer segment. Originality/value: This article is one of first publications in Poland that seek to provide some insight into consumption behaviors of Polish silver singles that are in line with the idea of selected alternative consumer trends.

scholarly journals Prediction of the salmon lice infestation pressure in a Norwegian fjord

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 746-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne D Sandvik ◽  
Ingrid A Johnsen ◽  
Mari S Myksvoll ◽  
Pål N Sævik ◽  
Morten D Skogen
Keyword(s):  
Laboratory Experiments ◽  
Test Area ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Salmon Lice ◽  
Direct Measurements ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Aquaculture Industry ◽  
Norwegian Fjord ◽  
The Impact

Abstract A further growth in the Norwegian aquaculture industry might potentially be hampered by the conclusion that it is not environmentally sustainable. As direct measurements of the lice induced mortality on wild salmonids are impossible, the management is based on a set of high-quality and well-documented sustainability indicators. These indicators combine observations from the national Norwegian salmon lice monitoring programme with salmon lice models. Here, we have documented the quality of one of these models used to identify areas where the impact from farmed to wild salmonids is over the prescribed limit. The Hardangerfjord area has been used as a test area, but the model is general and, therefore, suitable for the rest of the coast. It is shown that the model system is robust and also can be used to test whether new knowledge gained from laboratory experiments improves the model. New findings on salmon lice behaviour at low salinities have been incorporated and the new model, consisting of a high-resolution hydrodynamic model coupled with an individual-based salmon lice model and forced with realistic input of salmon lice larvae from aquaculture farms, represents the best realization of the local potential infestation pressure on wild fish.

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