Behavior Change for Nature: A Behavioral Science Toolkit for Practitioners
Arlington (VA): Rare;Behavioural Insights Team (2019), 82 pp.
"We hope you’ll come away from this report with a clearer understanding that conservation is a behavioral challenge and therefore needs behaviorally-informed solutions. Here is your starting point with the tools and tactics to employ in your efforts to preserve our natural resources for current and future generations." (Foreword)
1. NATURE CONSERVATION IS ABOUT BEHAVIOR, 11
2. SHINING THE SPOTLIGHT ON CONVENTIONAL WISDOM, 17
3. STRATEGIES FOR APPLYING BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE TO CONSERVATION, 21
Strategy 1: Leverage positive emotions, 25
Strategy 2: Frame messaging to personal values, identities, or interests, 26
Strategy 3: Personalize and humanize messages, 27
Strategy 4: Harness cognitive biases, 28
Strategy 5: Design behaviorally-informed incentives, 29
Strategy 6: Promote the desirable norm, 34
Strategy 7: Harness reciprocity, 36
Strategy 8: Increase behavioral observability and accountability, 37
Strategy 9: Encourage public & peer-to-peer commitments, 39
Strategy 10: Choose the right messenger, 40
Strategy 11: Make it easy by removing frictions and promoting substitutes, 44
Strategy 12: Provide support with planning and implementation intentions, 46
Strategy 13: Simplify messages and decisions, 48
Strategy 14: Alter the choice setting, 49
Strategy 15: Use timely moments, prompts, and reminders, 51
4. FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE: APPLYING BEHAVIORAL INSIGHTS TO REAL-WORLD CONSERVATION CASES, 52
Conclusion, 66
Annex A: An overview of conservation threats, 67
Annex B: A guide to the robust evaluation of behavioral interventions, 69
2. SHINING THE SPOTLIGHT ON CONVENTIONAL WISDOM, 17
3. STRATEGIES FOR APPLYING BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE TO CONSERVATION, 21
Strategy 1: Leverage positive emotions, 25
Strategy 2: Frame messaging to personal values, identities, or interests, 26
Strategy 3: Personalize and humanize messages, 27
Strategy 4: Harness cognitive biases, 28
Strategy 5: Design behaviorally-informed incentives, 29
Strategy 6: Promote the desirable norm, 34
Strategy 7: Harness reciprocity, 36
Strategy 8: Increase behavioral observability and accountability, 37
Strategy 9: Encourage public & peer-to-peer commitments, 39
Strategy 10: Choose the right messenger, 40
Strategy 11: Make it easy by removing frictions and promoting substitutes, 44
Strategy 12: Provide support with planning and implementation intentions, 46
Strategy 13: Simplify messages and decisions, 48
Strategy 14: Alter the choice setting, 49
Strategy 15: Use timely moments, prompts, and reminders, 51
4. FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE: APPLYING BEHAVIORAL INSIGHTS TO REAL-WORLD CONSERVATION CASES, 52
Conclusion, 66
Annex A: An overview of conservation threats, 67
Annex B: A guide to the robust evaluation of behavioral interventions, 69
