Situational cognitive effects on behavior-selection – Empirically founded computer-simulation of the effects of habits, memory-aids, implementation intentions, self-commitment and situational norms

Universität Zürich > Philosophische Fakultät > Psychologisches Institut > Sozialpsychologie > Prof. Dr. Heinz Gutscher
Tobias

Completed Research Project

Title / Titel: Situational cognitive effects on behavior-selection – Empirically founded computer-simulation of the effects of habits, memory-aids, implementation intentions, self-commitment and situational norms

Original title / Originaltitel: Situative kognitive Wirkungen auf die Verhaltenswahl – Empirisch fundierte Computersimulation der Wirkung von Gewohnheiten, Erinnerungs-Hilfen, Vorsätzen, Selbstverpflichtungen und situativen Normen

Summary / Zusammenfassung: This project focuses on effects of situational cues on behavior that are mediated by cognitive changes. In the last years research on this topic increased dramatically, but all projects focus only on few effects of situational cues and most research is done in quite artificial laboratory settings. The main topics are effects of habits, external memory-aids, situational norms and implementation intentions. Later are relevant here, because implementation intentions ‘link’ situational cues to behavior. The focus of these research topics is mainly on the question, whether or under what circumstances these phenomena affect behavior. There is very little research done on explaining how these phenomena work, so that certain situational cues affect behavior. But this would be important to know, to use them in campaigns that focus on changing individual behavior. Only if the mechanisms are known, how mentioned phenomena influence the effects of situational cues on behavior, they can be used as instruments of behavior-change. Though there are very difficult problems to overcome, when one tries to find out these mechanisms. Most important, it is impossible to reconstruct natural situations in the laboratory but in the field it is nearly impossible to measure unconscious cognitive changes. Further, to build on the available knowledge, many seemingly incompatible theories and models must be integrated.
To solve these problems, new ways of data-collection and -analysis are necessary. This project builds entirely on dynamical data that was collected during a behavior-change-campaign in Cuba 2005. For two month people filled out every day a mini-questionnaire so that changes in behavior and some psychological construct could be recorded. This data was analyzed using a computer-simulation that integrates most findings relevant for explaining effects of situational cues on cognition and behavior. Although such a model is quite complex, it is easy to derive hypotheses from this model as it is formulated as a computer-program. More important, it is possible to replicate observed dynamics or even make prognoses of future dynamics. Further, a simulation-model explicitly states any hypothesis used and so it is easy to test the model, replicate the findings and make changes. It also shows gaps in research that have to be filled with explicitly stated assumptions. In combination, empirical data about dynamics of behavior and psychological constructs and the simulation method allow explaining cognitive processes without measuring the constructs, the dynamics are based on. Already the dynamics of the behavior can give enough information to test complex cognitive models. Although it is never certain, whether other models can explain the dynamics as well or even better, replicating empirical dynamics with a simulation-model is a very strong test for any model.
In this project first a theoretical (i.e. verbally formulated) model was developed, that integrates findings on habits, prospective memory (especially external memory-aids), situational norms and implementation intentions. Also findings about the similar intervention-technique of self-commitment were integrated in the model. Further a general model of behavior selection was developed to integrate all the different findings, theories and models. This theoretical model then was formalized into a mathematical model, which was implemented as a computer program.
The empirical part is based on a campaign in Santiago de Cuba conducted by EAWAG (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology) aiming at changing the way, people treat solid waste. As this city has no money for any form of treatment of solid waste, it piles up in landfills that come to their limit of capacity. So the aim of the campaign was, to make people recycle more waste or to treat it locally by composting organic components. To test several intervention-techniques beforehand, four pilot-interventions were performed. The data used in this project was collected in one of these, were prompts and public self-commitment were used to promote waste separation for recycling. The data collection had three elements: A huge panel with three measuring points, a much smaller ‘monitoring’, where people filled mini-questionnaires every day and a physical measurement of the solid waste produced by the investigated households. For this project only the monitoring-data was used.
The analysis of the data consisted of two parts: First the monitoring-data was visualized in diagrams and qualitatively interpreted based on the theoretical model. Then the formal model was calibrated to replicate the empirical data and the optimal parameter-setting interpreted. Apart from the analysis of the empirical data hypothetical simulation-experiments were performed to investigate the simulation-model.
Although because of problems with the interviewers, the analyzed sample only had 17 cases, the data showed clear, plausible and interesting dynamics. People that only used prompts showed first high behavior intensity, i.e. they separated much of the solid waste. The behavior intensity then dropped during the first week of the monitoring. In the later weeks it again climbed and reached the level at the beginning of the monitoring phase, were it stayed more o less constant up to the next intervention. For people that did not put up a prompt the behavior intensity was constant for most of the monitoring-period. For people, that after the prompt performed a public self-commitment, the behavior intensity rose sharply and stayed constant for the rest of the monitoring. For people that did not perform the second intervention, the behavior intensity fell to a very low level, where it stayed also constant for the rest of the monitoring. The also monitored psychological constructs as beliefs and attitude were nearly constant for both monitoring-periods. The formal model could replicate quite well this dynamics. Only the sharp decay of behavior-intensity for the group that only performed the first intervention was less pronounced. The parameter-settings lead to the following interpretation of the data: Setting up a prompt functions like a weak implementation intention. So, by setting up the prompt, people preferred to separate more waste, but over the time, they forgot to do so more and more often. Though, they performed the behavior sufficiently often, that a habit could develop, that helped remembering the behavior. This habit raise explains the raise of behavior intensity after the first week of monitoring. People that did not set up a prompt performed the behavior always on the habitual level, so no forgetting of the waste separation took place. The second intervention – the public self-commitment – was much stronger than the first and it could build up on the first intervention. So here no forgetting happened and the behavior was shown always with the same strength.
The hypothetic simulation-experiments were kept rather basic. For a small artificial population it was varied, how accurately it can be seen, what behavior-intensity other people perform and to what behavior-intensity some of the individuals were publicly committed. It resulted, that public self-commitment is especially effective, when it is difficult to see accurately the behavior-intensity. As the behavior-intensity is often shown somewhat lower than committed, a very accurate perception of other’s behavior can lead to a loss of credibility of the self-committed individuals that destroys the effect of the public commitment.
These results lead to many interesting conclusions: First of all it is important to note, that changes in behavior-intensity took place without changes in beliefs or attitudes. This shows the independent effect of situational cues. Second the parameter-settings indicate that habits (i.e. the frequent performance of behavior in the same situation) mainly affect behavior-selection by making it easier to remember the behavior. If the behavior is remembered, the effect of habits is outperformed by the effect of affective aspects, i.e. how pleasant or unpleasant a behavior is. It seems, that our ‘bad habits’ are not so much automaticities, which we can’t avoid but these are behaviors, we just like to perform although they are against our beliefs. Third, it seems, that habits develop much quicker than implementation intentions decay. Further, these results show, that both intervention-techniques – prompts and public self-commitment – had strong effects on behavior, that it is possible, to collect dynamical data in the field and to analyze it with a computer-simulation in a way, that allows to draw conclusions on cognitive mechanisms just based on the dynamics of the reported behavior.
The hypothetic simulation-experiments showed, that it might not be such a good idea, to make the performed behavior of committed persons to visible. Although the pressure to perform the committed behavior for these persons might raise this way, the effect on others might be destroyed, as often committed people do not show exactly the behavior, they are committed to.
Although this project has to be seen as only a first step in developing a methodology for applicated social sciences, it showed, that it is possible the develop complex models that integrate findings from many traditional fields of research in a way, that they can be used to plan, conduct and evaluate behavior-change campaigns. It is hoped, that more social scientists will focus on the dynamics of behavior change so that social sciences can give they part in resolving the problems of our society. Especially the use of the simulation methodology seems to be a very fruitful way to make social scientific findings suitable for application. Simulation-models make it possible to examine many alternatives of social change processes and campaigns and even adapt interventions during a campaign based on the dynamics provoked by earlier interventions. The possibility of visualizing the complex social dynamics not only makes work easier for decision makers but also allows to integrate better persons affected by the campaigns in the decision making process. The final aim would be a social-scientific tool-box that allows participative and adaptive campaign planning and control.

Keywords / Suchbegriffe: behavior change campaign, recycling behavior, social dynamics, theory integration, person-environment relationship, situational cues, behavior selection, habits, memory-aids, implementation intentions, self-commitment, situational norms, prompts, process data, computer-simulation

Project Leadership and Contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte

lic. phil. & eidg. dipl. Ing. Robert Tobias (Project Leader)	robert.tobias@eawag.ch
Prof. Dr. phil. et dipl. zool. Hans-Joachim Mosler	mosler@eawag.ch
Prof. Dr. Heinz Gutscher	gutscher@sozpsy.uzh.ch

Funding Source(s) / Unterstützt durch: No project-specific funding

In Collaboration with / In Zusammenarbeit mit

Prof. Dr. phil. et dipl. zool. Hans-Joachim Mosler
SIAM (System Analysis, Integrated Assessment and Modeling)
EAWAG (Swiss Federal Institute for AquaticScience and Technology)
8600 Dübendorf, ZH

Switzerland

Duration of Project / Projektdauer: Feb 2003 to Apr 2006