An experiment examined the influence of self-affirmation on individuals' responses to messages about environmental threats. A new manner of self-affirmation more appropriate for use in the field than traditional approaches was tested. The visual-based manipulation used group-related photographs to affirm participants' self-integrity before…

This study provided practical advice for energy and water conservation message design by examining the role of choice provision (a message feature), message elaboration (a situational factor), and issue involvement (an individual factor) on intentions to conserve. The data were collected through an online survey experiment (N = 857). Across…

Water conservation in residential landscapes remains essential to mitigate projected global water shortages. Social media has seldom been used to drive engagement in conservation and may be an important channel for environmental change agents to communicate to clientele and promote behavior changes. We tested messages framed with real conservation…

Park managers use personal interpretation to achieve a variety of outcomes for park visitors and the natural environment. This project examines whether these outcomes are achieved, the factors influencing how the outcomes are achieved, and the overlap among these factors across the outcomes. Based on interviews with visitors in three Alberta…

This study explores the impact of an action-oriented environmental education course on students' environmental awareness, with 53 college students divided into experimental (N = 27) and control (N = 26) groups. Both groups participated in similar learning activities; however, the experimental group further recorded the amount of waste discharged…

Climate change is the one of the most controversial issues in environmental history since natural processes and human activities lead to causation. This complexity often thwarts communication and education efforts. Some research suggests that place-based approaches are effective for delivering climate change instruction because they feature local…

Limited knowledge exists on participant outcomes relating to citizen science programs. Using the ClimateWatch: Scientist for a Day program as a case study, we sought to understand participant behaviors and attitudes post-program, and evaluated the program's post-engagement initiatives. Phone interviews were conducted with 15 former participants.…

The authors explored the influences of a youth-focused Leave No Trace educational program on participants' attitudes, behaviors, and nature connectedness. The study employed an experimental, equivalent control-group design and included survey and direct observation measures. Pretest and posttest surveys provided self-report measures of attitudes…

Research into the effectiveness of video as a tool to educate students about environmental issues and cause a change in their attitudes toward them in a classroom setting is limited. We sought to add to this sparse body of research. We created three videos that showcased a species in a different stage of protection under the Endangered Species…

Aiming to help municipalities develop effective education and outreach campaigns to reduce stormwater pollutants, such as pet waste, this study applied the Health Belief Model (HBM) to identify perceptions of dog waste and corresponding collection behaviors from dog owners living in a small U.S. city. Results of 455 online survey responses…

The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and the Behavior Change Wheel (BCW) are frameworks that can be used to develop recycling interventions. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the utility of these frameworks for developing recycling interventions. 20 semistructured interviews with university building users were analyzed using the TDF and…

This research explored whether viewing documentary films about the natural or built environment can exert a measurable influence on behaviors and perceptions. Different documentary films were viewed by subjects. One film emphasized the natural environment, while the other focused on the built environment. After viewing a film, a computer game…

With no tangible evidence of widespread public engagement in the UK on matters relating to the environment, this article assesses the benefits of adopting the principles of key theoretical models on learning (e.g., Kolb's Experiential Model) in environmental campaigns. In addition, in order to facilitate the transition from environmental…

Based on results from a 2008 research study of regional citizen knowledge concerning watershed issues, a water conservation education program was designed and implemented. Findings from the initial study demonstrated program success as evidenced by knowledge gain and willingness to "commit" to water saving behaviors in 94% of students. A…

Three studies examined whether a social norm message (SNM) to Girl Scouts who had completed an energy conservation program would impact behavior and attitudes. Studies 1 and 2 were conducted with girls recently completing the program, study 3 was conducted with girls completing the program one year earlier. Results suggest that the SNM may impact…