Overview of Green Behavior Science

Mark Alavosius, Ph.D.

University of Nevada, RenoPSY 499/699 Lecture: 9/9/10

Outline

Definitions of Behavior

Science of behavior Principles of behavior

Pseudo-scientific accounts of behavior

Applied behavioral science Evidence based solutions

Behavioral technologies & applications to work

Organizational behavior

Management fads

Green Behavior

Core ingredients

Examples of Applications?

Small scale to systems

Behavior

Common: Anything an organism does

Technical: That portion of an organism‟s interaction with the environment detectable through time and space and that results in a measurable change in some aspect of the environment

Single instance & classes of behaviors

Like flowing water

Behavior is a continuous interaction:

Dynamic

Complex

Variable (turbulent)

Affected by context (channels & canals)

Challenge: observe & measure behavioral variability

Behavioral Variability

Functional classes

Observe how actions produce an effect in the environment

Topographical variations

Observe the forms of behavior

Dimensions: Temporal dimensions (time between instances, latency, duration) and products

Example: Lifting

Observe function of actions

Loads are raised & lowered across surfaces (pallet to shelf)

Observe form of lifts

Dynamic action – grasp load, bend knees, hold close, unbend knees, rotate with load, locate on new surface

Behavioral Risks in Food Industry

Risks to whom? Consumer? Employee? Community?

Context Safe & At Risk Behavior Consequence

Personal hygiene history +/-;Training, KSA;Job Aid (poster);Peer Model +;Peer Model -;Supervisor present +/-; Values

Find & don gloves - Teased by peers

Wash hands per guidelines - Irritated hands (dry)

Disinfect surfaces with XXX + Feels right!

Work with soiled hands + More productive

Leave spills on equipment + less effort than clean

Promote others‟ unsafe acts(model, tease, ignore)

+ Social acceptance

Safe behaviors are often punished by immediate negative consequences

At-risk behaviors are often reinforced by immediate positive consequences

Behavioral Risks in Food Industry

Manager behavior?

Context Safe & At Risk Behavior Consequence

Personal history with mgt +/-;Goals from Execs;Job Aid (poster);Bottom line;Bonus plan;Regulators on site;Work rules;Values

Uses PPE & models safe behaviors

- Teased by peers

Praises safe behavior - Calls piling up

Corrects at-risk behavior - Annoyed look from EE

Presses for more output + More productive

Ignores spills on equipment + less effort than clean

Delays response to EEs‟ safety requests

+ Keeps to budget

The same analysis can be done with executive/leadership behavior – all behavior is lawful

Food ProtectionEnvironmental Protection

Similar in that both involve routine practices that may contaminate & endanger.

The consequences of many of these risky behaviors are delayed and not effective in

selecting optimal practice.

Behavioral Risks

Environmentally Significant Behavior

UNR behavior on/near campus?

Context Green & At Risk Behavior Consequence

Personal history with green +/-;Goals & Values;News/media;Loan/debt (save $);Peer pressure;Religious beliefs;Other background

Recycles stuff, rides bike, uses car pool

- Teased by peers

Praises green behavior - More effort

Corrects at-risk behavior - Annoyed look from ?

Trashes stuff + More productive

Drives an SUV - alone + less effort than green

Teases „crunchy‟ people + crowds bike off road

Recall the 6 Americas analysis – our audience has different entering perspective's & values. Eco-

unfriendly behaviors are easily maintained by features of our settings & social contingencies

A Science of Behavior

Behavior Science Integrates with other sciences that reject non-natural

sources of control (physics, chemistry, biology, etc.)

Repeated observation of behavior in context

Lawful relations between behavior & environment

Internal & external validity

No appeal to unobservable constructs

Practical implications (supports technology)

Pseudo-Science

Everyone behaves

All have intimacy with subject matter

Everyone is an expert on behavior!

Beware the temptations of non-empirical explanations (e.g., Autism – vaccine causes & weird treatments)

(e.g., unsafe behavior – employee is cause so blame EE)

(e.g., green behavior – attitude driven – so change them)

These may generate non-effective initiatives or worse

Applied Behavioral Science

Acquisition of behavior

Elaboration

Maintenance

Cessation & Replacement

Evidence-based solutions:Behavioral

Systematic & coherentTechnological

ReplicableSocially valued

Applied Behavioral Science

Acquisition of behavior

Elaboration

Maintenance

Cessation & Replacement

Practical applications with:Clinical populations

EducationSportsWork

SafetyHealth

Community practices

Applications to work are a good model

Organizational behavior

Behavioral principles apply at work

Select, train, motivate, manage

Management fads abound! Beware!

Apply to Green Behavior

Grounded in behavioral science

Some applied research since 1970‟s

Pioneers: Winnett, Geller, Hayes, others

Tested & replicable technology emerging

Energy conservation

Recycling

Individual behavior & organizational performance

Individuals behave Measure classes behavior (e.g., green & at-risk behaviors)

Maybe measure products of individual‟s behavior (e.g., utility bills) Estimate emissions produced

I‟ve ridden my bicycle 450+ miles to work this summer. How much gasoline did I not use?

These are upstream to environmental degradation

Groups perform (interlocked behaviors)

Estimate production by many individuals (CO2 not emitted) What if 10,000,000 others bicycled to work instead of taking the SUV?

Root cause of eco-damage (contamination) often unclear

Behavioral metrics may reveal source of degradation

And focus preventative solutions

Green Behavior ChangeSome Core Ingredients:

1. Behavioral green targets

2. Observe behavior in context

1. Self, peer, leader, instruments

3. Practical interventions

1. Motivating operations (deprivation, value altering events)

2. Antecedents (rules, prompts, signals)

3. Consequences (feedback, reinforcement)

4. Measure outcomes (incidence rates)

5. Part of comprehensive green ecosystem1. Integrates with design, architecture, engineering, ergonomics,

industrial hygiene, etc. - find & remove environmental hazards

2. Behavioral science – promote adherence with green practices

Green Behavior Network

See the following:

(Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies)

Join the Environmental/Green Issues solution group. It’s free!

M. Alavosius is chair.

Help disseminate information

CCBS BBS Accreditation –Green Behavior next?

Applications & site visit reports available at

www.behavior.org

Corporations could be accredited for managing ‘green practices’ by employees. Walmart, for example, employs 2,000,000 workers worldwide!

Behavior Science & Environmental Protection

Share natural scientific foundation with other disciplines

Behaviors up-stream to incidents

“What gets measured, gets managed” E. Deming

Tested, replicable, practical methods: Establish & change behavior

Educate public (values & fit to sustainable culture)

Train KSA‟s, transfer to community settings

Motivate & sustain (communication, feedback loops, incentives)

Interlock behaviors across organizational/community levels

Design technology to support behavior

Focus only on individual behavior: Unsustainable & resistance

Behavior Science & Environmental Protection

Integrate GREEN with community management systems

At UNR, let‟s build green systems Metrics: environmentally significant behaviors

Align & interlock behaviors

Incidence rates & outcome measures

Evaluate effectiveness

Into the foundations of the organization (e.g., UNR) Student/faculty/employee involvement & ownership

Connect with education & compensation & evaluation procedures to reinforce green behaviors

A possible co-op model to promote eco-friendly purchases?

The UNR bookstore is a student co-op!

Demonstrate leadership commitment – vote for eco-friendly NV politicians & campus student leaders

Recognize & celebrate any improvements

Benefits other behaviors (health?)

Environmentally Significant BehaviorQuiz 5 Names:_____________________

What motivating operations might evoke green behavior on/near UNR campus?

Antecedents Green & At Risk Behavior Consequence

Recycles stuff, - Teased by peers

Trashes stuff + Less effort

MARKA@UNR.EDU

Thank You