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Communicating Sustainability: Student Perceptions of a Behavior Change Campaign

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Title: Communicating Sustainability: Student Perceptions of a Behavior Change Campaign
Language: English
Authors: Godfrey, D. Matthew, Feng, Patrick
Source: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education. 2017 18(1):2-22.
Availability: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emeraldinsight.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 21
Publication Date: 2017
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Conservation (Environment), Environmental Education, Dining Facilities, Sustainability, Student Attitudes, Food, Eating Habits, Consciousness Raising, Communication Strategies, Behavior Change, Attitude Change, Pretests Posttests, Interviews, Undergraduate Students, Water
DOI: 10.1108/IJSHE-01-2015-0009
ISSN: 1467-6370
Abstract: Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the impacts of a science-based environmental communication campaign at a university dining hall. The impacts are assessed in terms of student attitudes toward sustainability, food consumption choices and perceptions and understanding of the campaign and the information it communicated. Design/methodology/approach: A communication campaign was designed to convey the water footprint of food entrées available at a university dining hall. This campaign was tested during a three-week field experiment in which students at the dining hall were exposed to information about the sustainability of their food. To measure behavior and attitude change, sales and production data were collected before, during and after the campaign, and pre- and post-test surveys were administered. To better understand perceptions, the authors conducted in-depth interviews with undergraduate students who frequented the dining hall. Findings: Consumption patterns did not change significantly as a result of the campaign, and students' attitude scores actually became slightly less positive toward choosing low water footprint foods. Interview data helped explain these results by showing that the ability and desire of students to choose sustainable food were overwhelmed by convenience and time pressures; other food attributes often outweighed sustainability; limited food source information could not verify the benefits of sustainable food; and the science of water footprints was disconnected from students' subjective concepts of sustainability. Originality/value: This paper empirically examines how students understand and interpret an environmental change campaign focused on sustainable food. It addresses an important gap in the literature by augmenting experimental and survey results with in-depth interview data, which help explain the often ineffective outcomes of behavior change campaigns. The research was conducted in the novel setting of a university dining hall.
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 58
Entry Date: 2017
Accession Number: EJ1125080
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Communicating Sustainability: Student Perceptions of a Behavior Change Campaign
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Godfrey%2C+D%2E+Matthew%22">Godfrey, D. Matthew</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Feng%2C+Patrick%22">Feng, Patrick</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Sustainability+in+Higher+Education%22"><i>International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education</i></searchLink>. 2017 18(1):2-22.
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  Data: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emeraldinsight.com
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 21
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Conservation+%28Environment%29%22">Conservation (Environment)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Environmental+Education%22">Environmental Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Dining+Facilities%22">Dining Facilities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sustainability%22">Sustainability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Food%22">Food</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Eating+Habits%22">Eating Habits</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Consciousness+Raising%22">Consciousness Raising</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication+Strategies%22">Communication Strategies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavior+Change%22">Behavior Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitude+Change%22">Attitude Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pretests+Posttests%22">Pretests Posttests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interviews%22">Interviews</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Undergraduate+Students%22">Undergraduate Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Water%22">Water</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1108/IJSHE-01-2015-0009
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  Data: 1467-6370
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the impacts of a science-based environmental communication campaign at a university dining hall. The impacts are assessed in terms of student attitudes toward sustainability, food consumption choices and perceptions and understanding of the campaign and the information it communicated. Design/methodology/approach: A communication campaign was designed to convey the water footprint of food entrées available at a university dining hall. This campaign was tested during a three-week field experiment in which students at the dining hall were exposed to information about the sustainability of their food. To measure behavior and attitude change, sales and production data were collected before, during and after the campaign, and pre- and post-test surveys were administered. To better understand perceptions, the authors conducted in-depth interviews with undergraduate students who frequented the dining hall. Findings: Consumption patterns did not change significantly as a result of the campaign, and students' attitude scores actually became slightly less positive toward choosing low water footprint foods. Interview data helped explain these results by showing that the ability and desire of students to choose sustainable food were overwhelmed by convenience and time pressures; other food attributes often outweighed sustainability; limited food source information could not verify the benefits of sustainable food; and the science of water footprints was disconnected from students' subjective concepts of sustainability. Originality/value: This paper empirically examines how students understand and interpret an environmental change campaign focused on sustainable food. It addresses an important gap in the literature by augmenting experimental and survey results with in-depth interview data, which help explain the often ineffective outcomes of behavior change campaigns. The research was conducted in the novel setting of a university dining hall.
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  Data: 2017
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  Data: EJ1125080
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1125080
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        Value: 10.1108/IJSHE-01-2015-0009
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Conservation (Environment)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Environmental Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Dining Facilities
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      – SubjectFull: Sustainability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Food
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      – SubjectFull: Eating Habits
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      – SubjectFull: Consciousness Raising
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Communication Strategies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Behavior Change
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attitude Change
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      – SubjectFull: Pretests Posttests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interviews
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      – SubjectFull: Undergraduate Students
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      – SubjectFull: Water
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      – TitleFull: Communicating Sustainability: Student Perceptions of a Behavior Change Campaign
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