Understanding the effects of self-image and conditional cooperation through green messaging on pro-environmental behaviours

• Main Authors: Chua, Shao Xiang, Kiong, Wei Tong, Ng, Desmond Jun Xiang
• Other Authors: Yan Jubo
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
• Subjects: Social sciences::Economic theory::Microeconomics
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/165938
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This research examines how incorporating image concerns and social preferences into environmental messages can impact an individual's pro-environmental behaviours. A total of 107 students from Nanyang Technology University participated in this study and were randomly assigned into one of three groups: a self-image treatment group, a conditional cooperation treatment group or a control group. All participants were given an initial survey to measure their pro- environmental attitudes, their frequency of engagement in green behaviours, their perception of the ease of engaging in such actions, and their behavioural intentions towards engaging in pro- environmental behaviours. The first survey also utilised the Contingent Valuation Method to elicit participants’ willingness to pay for a specific environmental product or service. During the intervention period of one month, each individual would receive three environmental posters with messages personalised according to the group they were in. Participants in the treatment groups received messages containing either the “self-image” or “conditional cooperation” components. Thereafter, participants were given a second survey to capture their post-intervention engagement in pro-environmental behaviours. The results of survey one showed that there were no statistically significant differences in the average willingness to pay between respondents in the control group and the treatment groups. In survey two, we only observed statistically significant differences in behaviours related to water conservation between respondents in the control group and the treatment groups. We conclude by providing policy implications and possible future extensions to our study.