Colloquium: Prof. Linda Steg
Monday, 19th November 2018, at 14.30 - 16.00
ETH Zurich, UNO B 11, Universitätstrasse 41
Encouraging pro-environmental behaviour
Many environmental problems are caused by human behaviour and can be altered when people would more consistently engage in pro-environmental behaviour. Current approaches to encourage pro-environmental behaviour typically target extrinsic motivation, by offering incentives to change personal costs and benefits of behaviour. Such incentives run the risk of undermining intrinsic motivation to act pro-environmentally. This is problematic, as intrinsic motivation is a solid source of consistent pro-environmental behaviour. Intrinsically motivated people behave without being coerced or incentivised, even when pro-environmental behaviour is somewhat costly, as doing so is meaningful and makes them feel good. I will discuss which factors and strategies can foster and secure intrinsic motivation to engage in pro-environmental behaviour.
About Prof. Linda Steg
Linda Steg is professor of environmental psychology at the University of Groningen. She studies factors influencing sustainable behaviour, the effects and acceptability of strategies aimed at promoting sustainable behaviour, and public perceptions of technology and system changes. She is member of Member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences (KNAW), and lead author of the IPCC special report on 1.5°C and AR6. She participates in varies interdisciplinary and international research programmes, and collaborates with practitioners working in industry, governments and NGOs.