Presented by: Amy Cabaniss, PhD Mitchell College, New London, CT University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI

"Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it." ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

Clearly identify the behavior you want to promote Photo: Ron Fonger Photo: Janice Ehle/Meyer

2 parts research 1 part resources 1 part creativity

Necessary to develop an effective strategy Failure to ID barriers can result in a program with lesser impact

Myths… One size fits all… Research won’t tell us anything we don’t already know… All the public needs is more information… Research adds nothing more than time and expense… A firm sense of your intended audience is needed for program success.

1.Literature review Research literature on drop-off collections Potential barriers: Lack of knowledge (a “knowledge-deficit”) Distance to the facility or single-day collection

2. Barrier identification What do you need to know about your community so that you can create programs with messages that resonate with them, and motivate them? Observational studies Focus groups Interviews Surveys

Emphasizes that effective program design begins with understanding the barriers people perceive to engaging in an activity Underscores the importance of strategically delivering programs to target specific segments and overcoming barriers to the segment’s engagement in the behavior

Social marketing offers a means of motivating voluntary behavior for personal and societal well- being through application of marketing principles (Andreasen, 1994). CBSM incorporates social psychology principles and is applied at the community level often with direct contact with people rather than communication through mass media channels (McKenzie-Mohr, 2011).

Step 1: Selecting behaviors Step 2: Identifying barriers and benefits Step 3: Developing strategies Step 4: Piloting Step 5: Broad-scale implementation and evaluation

Part 1: Barrier Survey Tailored Design Method (Dillman, 2007)  Random sample  Multiple contacts  Incentive to respond Part 2: Experiment Direct-mail Cards  Information + prevalent attitude, subjective norms  Behavioral observation

Mail Survey Constructed survey - to determine barriers to HHW collection participation using Theory of Planned Behavior as the framework 7-point semantic differential scale Your participation in a household hazardous waste collection helps to protect the environment. disagree: ____:____:____:____:____:____:____:agree Selected random sample from 24,926 single-family households (N = 2,409) Direct-mailed survey using a modified* Tailored Design Method (Dillman, 2007) *(pre-notice letter; cover letter and survey, plus token incentive)

Ajzen, I. (1991). The Theory of Planned Behavior, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, p. 182.

Respondent knowledge about HHW facility and collections

Gender – Female (57%); Male (41%); No response (2%) Race – White (93%) Age - 20 to 80+; Median age = 57 (SD= 13.7) Education - College degree (35%); Graduate degree (30%) Household Income - up to $49,999 (14%); $50,000 to $99,999 (28%); $100,000+ (31%); ‘Decline to Say’ (20%) Distance to facility miles (30%); 6-10 miles (33%); 11 to 15 miles (22%) (N=983)

Barriers Lack of knowledge High cost of behavior Low perceived behavioral control Mixed subjective norms Benefits Favorable attitudes Mixed subjective norms

The same randomly-selected sample that received the survey in Study 1: 2,409 households in the nine-town Connecticut River Estuary Region. Dependent Variable: observed participation in a collection (yes, attended or no, did not attend) at the regional HHW facility Independent Variable: treatment (message cards) comprised of four different conditions

Communications goal: to motivate single-family homeowners, segmented geographically by those living in the nine-town Connecticut River Estuary Region to participate in HHW collections at a regional facility. Treatment: Print messages addressed control beliefs, attitudinal beliefs and normative beliefs—constructs in the Theory of Planned Behavior.

ho, What, When, Where, Why? (Information – Perceived behavioral control) Favorable attitude – Separating HHW from the trash and bringing it to an HHW collection benefits the environment. Subjective norm – People who matter to me think I should participate in an HHW collection at the facility. Hypothesis… PBC + Attitudes + Norms = most effective in motivating behavior

PBC PBC+ Norms PBC+ Attitudes PBC+Norms +Attitudes

 Who, What, When, Where, Why?  Necessary for participation  Intended to build knowledge about the issue, program, desired behavior  Builds perceived behavioral control  Limited effectiveness  Not necessarily motivational  Does not cause behavior  Creating supportive attitudes is not enough to impact behavior (Knowledge + Attitudes ≠ Behavior)

Normative appeals Descriptive norms: involves perceptions of behaviors typically performed Injunctive norms: perceptions of which behaviors are typically approved or disapproved Descriptive + Injunctive = motivational

Perception: U.S. college students think other students consumed 5.60 drinks last time they “partied”/socialized. Reality: 3.58 is the mean number of drinks U.S. college students consumed the last time they “partied”/socialized

“Help save the environment.” “Partner with us to help save the environment.” “Join your fellow citizens in helping to save the environment.” (Cialdini, 2005)

Have a clear program objective. Consider applying the CBSM framework for your program. Do it right! Start with a literature review + community barrier research. Consider using an empirically-strong behavioral theory in formative research. Tailor communications messages to your community Remember that information is needed but not necessarily motivational. Knowledge + Attitudes ≠ Behavior Pilot-test and evaluate your program. Alter as necessary. But wait, there’s more! For more info, contact: