Rebound vs Gateway Effects of Pro-Environmental Behavior

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Many resources have been invested in programs to promote the voluntary adoption of pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) through education, marketing, and economic incentives. Such investments, however, are threatened by the potential for rebound effects, by which the initial adoption of a PEB renders the adoption of subsequent PEBs less likely because the individual feels licensed to behave in environmentally counterproductive ways. On the other hand, an initial PEB may actually motivate the adoption of subsequent PEBs by reinforcing a pro-environmental identity, leading to gateway effects. The existence of gateway vs. rebound effects has profound implications for the effectiveness of environmental conservation programs and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency and conservation. Research to date has generated mixed results and has been limited by a reliance on correlational designs and by an incomplete investigation of the psychological and situational factors that facilitate and underlie these effects. The interdisciplinary research team for this project (cognitive and social psychology, decision theory, and law) draws on existing theories related to identity, emotions, moral self-regulation, and multiple modes of decision making to create and test a comprehensive theory of positive and negative pro-environmental behavior spillover. Does the adoption of a PEB affect the likelihood that an individual will adopt a subsequent PEB? What are the psychological processes by which rebound and gateway effects occur? Under what conditions are rebound and gateway effects most likely to occur? The research employs a mixed-methods approach that combines experiments and surveys conducted in both laboratory and field settings, using diverse populations. Research findings are disseminated through journal articles, workshops, and publications targeting policy makers and real-world decision makers. The results from this research provides a foundation for evidence-based environmental policy that reduces the likelihood of counterproductive results or missed opportunities. By generating an understanding of the situations that give rise to rebound effects, the project's results provide insight to governments and private institutions about funding for initiatives that may be better spent on other policies and programs. By identifying the situations that give rise to gateway effects, the results will suggest when the promotion of one easy PEB can be expected to be a gateway to more demanding PEBs. The dissemination plan includes targeted publications and a dedicated workshop. Decision and policy makers in the government, non-profit and business sectors are also reached through a professionally designed communications guide that summarizes research findings in accessible language. Partnerships with corporate and community based organizations help transfer project findings into real-world demonstration projects.