Addressing environmental degradation will requires persistent changes in our individual and community behaviour. Changing social norms (widely shared beliefs of how people ought to behave in a given situation) can promote pro-environmental behaviour, as exemplified by recycling and the move away from single-use plastics. However, whether the conditions under which pro-environmental social norms emerge and are adhered align with the features of environmental systems is unclear.
In this study, we review the conditions believed to promote the development of and adherence to social norms, and consider how those conditions relate to the environmental challenges of the Anthropocene.
Perry, G.L.W. et al. 2021. Evaluating the role of social norms in fostering pro-environmental behaviours. Frontiers in Environmental Science 9, 160.
Human-Environment Complexity Lab 