Promoting Spillover: How Past Behaviors Increase Environmental Intentions by Cueing Self-Perceptions

Behavioral spillover theory has potential for promoting meaningful behavior change. Spillover occurs when engagement in environmental behaviors affects the adoption of other environmental behaviors. By testing a new experimental model of spillover, this article is the first to concurrently investiga...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environment and behavior 2019-04, Vol.51 (3), p.235-258
Main Authors: Lauren, Nita, Smith, Liam D. G., Louis, Winnifred R., Dean, Angela J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior change
Behavior modification
Behavioral psychology
Cues
Effectiveness
Environmental behavior
Environmental behaviour
Environmental changes
Environmental testing
Ethical standards
Identity
Perceptions
Self-efficacy
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Summary:Behavioral spillover theory has potential for promoting meaningful behavior change. Spillover occurs when engagement in environmental behaviors affects the adoption of other environmental behaviors. By testing a new experimental model of spillover, this article is the first to concurrently investigate three predicted mechanisms of spillover—self-identity, self-efficacy, and contribution ethic—on different types of environmental behavior. The experimental spillover model examined how triggering self-perceptions (i.e., self-identity, self-efficacy, and contribution ethic) may influence the likelihood of spillover to occur from engagement in household behaviors to intentions for other environmental behaviors. Triggering self-identity was associated with increased private- and public-sphere intentions. Contrary to expectations, contribution ethic was not associated with decreased intentions, and instead was associated with increased public-sphere intentions. Self-efficacy did not uniquely influence intentions. These findings demonstrate that everyday behaviors can provide an “entry point” for other behaviors, strengthening self-perceptions and generating positive spillover.
ISSN:0013-9165
1552-390X
DOI:10.1177/0013916517740408