Intentions, efficacy, and norms: The impact of different self-regulatory cues on reducing engine idling at long wait stops

Mahmood, Lynsey, Abrams, Dominic, Meleady, Rose ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4671-4960, Hopthrow, Tim, Lalot, Fanny, Swift, Hannah and van de Vyver, Julie (2019) Intentions, efficacy, and norms: The impact of different self-regulatory cues on reducing engine idling at long wait stops. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 66. ISSN 0272-4944

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Abstract

Idling engines contribute significantly to air pollution and health problems. In a field study at a busy railway crossing we used the Theory of Planned Behavior to design persuasive messages to convince car drivers (N = 442) to turn off their engines during long wait stops. We compared the effects of three different messages (focusing on outcome efficacy, normative reputation, or reflection on one’s intentions) against a baseline condition. With differing effectiveness, all three messages had a positive effect compared with the baseline. Drivers were most likely to turn off their engines when the message focused on outcome efficacy (49%) or reflection (43%), as compared to the baseline (29%). The increased compliance in the normative reputation condition (38%) was not significantly different from baseline. Thus, stimulating self-regulatory processes, particularly outcome efficacy, is demonstrated to have a positive effect on pro-environmental driving behavior. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Psychology
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Centre for Behavioural and Experimental Social Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Social Cognition Research Group Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Cognition, Action and Perception
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	28 Oct 2019 12:51
Last Modified:	25 Sep 2023 15:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/72806
DOI:	10.1016/j.jenvp.2019.101368

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