Positive and negative spillover of pro-environmental behavior: An integrative review and theoretical framework

Help the climate, change your diet: A cross-sectional study on how to involve consumers in a transition to a low-carbon society

“…In this context, it is important to consider whether and when interventions to promote the adoption of food-related options may benefit from positive spillover effects created by energy-related interventions in the last few decades. The literature shows that a behavioral intervention can have a positive spillover effect on other pro-environmental behaviors not initially targeted by the intervention, which may be accounted for by common motivational or cognitive causes of the behaviors, such as useful knowledge (Lanzini & Thøgersen, 2014;Thøgersen & Ölander, 2006;Truelove, Carrico, Weber, Raimi, & Vandenbergh, 2014). A key motivational aspect is whether those who are willing to change or have already changed their lifestyle have a commitment to an overarching environmental goal, such as the goal of "using fewer resources" or "doing things in a different way" and with a positive environmental impact (Clayton & Myers, 2009, p. 144), which may indirectly link a lifestyle choice in one area (e.g., energy) to a lifestyle choice in another area (e.g., food).…”

Can Previous Pro-Environmental Behaviours Influence Subsequent Environmental Behaviours? The Licensing Effect of Pro-Environmental Behaviours

“…Some researchers argue that many of our environmental issues could be addressed by changing people's behaviours (Steg & Velk, 2009). Thus, many scholars have advocated for implementing interventions that could boost pro-environmental behaviours and further improve the environment (Truelove et al, 2014). A wealth of researches have attempted to develop practical methods for facilitating behaviour change (Steg & Velk, 2009) or to find out key factors necessary for pro-environmental lifestyle advocacy (Steg & Velk, 2009;Canuel, Abdous, Bélanger & Gosselin, 2014).…”

Good things come in small packages: is there a common set of motivators for energy behaviour?

“…If one (for any reason) decides to invest in solar panels, 11 motivation, awareness, knowledge and other 'determinants' may grow after this event, rather than before. If other behaviour then emerges from these changed 'determinants', we are talking about spillover effects (for example Thøgersen and Ölander 2003;Truelove et al 2014). If we want to establish such mechanisms, however, we would need before-after (and between-group) field experiments (Truelove et al 2014).…”

“…Note that this is a negative spillover effect, where increase in one behaviour denotes decrease in another. Positive spillover effects have also been identified (see Truelove et al 2014 for examples).…”

“…Spillover effects occur when an intervention (or behaviour) has an effect on subsequent behaviours not targeted by the intervention (Truelove et al 2014). A practical example is the increase of energy consumption in a sample of households who reduced their water consumption following a water reduction campaign (Tiefenbeck et al 2013).…”