A Behavioral Science Tool to Improve Waste Separation Behavior of Parents and Children

- Focusing on Status of Dissociation between Cognition and Action -

Abstract

  This study developed and evaluated a behavioral science tool, based on the nudge and shikakeology theories, to improve household waste separation behavior of parents and children. Conventional environmental education does not adequately address learners’ cognition about environmentally conscious behavior or analyze the problems related to such behavior. To address this problem, this tool focuses on three aspects: 1) specific waste separation behavior in the home; 2) the feelings associated with such behavior; and 3) reducing these feelings based on behavioral science. This experiment was performed over three sessions with a sample of 34 fifth-grade students, and questionnaire surveys were administered to the children and their parents. Based on the findings, there was an increase in the “sense of effectiveness” of the target children’s environmentally conscious awareness and a decrease in “cost-benefit evaluation” of the target parents’ environmentally conscious awareness. Meanwhile, the open-ended responses indicated that the children and their parents found their waste separation behavior enjoyable and interesting. Moreover, through our developed tool and program, the children and their parents showed a change in their consciousness, leading to an improvement in the formation of environmentally conscious behavioral intentions. However, some issues were unresolved, including securing a field for practice, controlling the means of intervention, and improving implementation of waste separation behavior.