Human Behavior: Negative and Positive Effects on the Environment

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Human Behavior: Negative and Positive Effects on the Environment Environmental psychologists examine how human behavior can positively and negatively affect the environment. The paper explores how environmental cues can shape behavior and how behavior can be modified to support sustainability. When behavior is modified to support sustainability, the negative impact on the environment can be reduced and limited. Social norms are guidelines of approval of or disapproval by society; a culture’s social norm significantly influences a person’s behavior and belief about the environment. The latter portion of the paper examines possible solutions to influence change in behavior and habits to reduce a negative environmental impact caused by the human race. Environmental Cues Similar to theatrical actors and actresses taking cues that direct their behavior, the environment influences behavior by providing cues. Environmental cues are components found in the environment that influences a response (Steg, Van Den Berg, & De Groot, 2013). A person’s natural response to environmental cues are colored by framing, which creates flawed and biased judgments depending on how the information is presented and perceived (Cohen, 2008). Unfortunately, people lack insight into how the environment affects them, and subsequently are unable to change factors that are responsible for their behavior. Environmental cues, such as a sign that promotes climbing stairs instead of a sign that promotes taking the elevator or escalator, results in a person increasing physical activity in a casual manner through cues from the environment. The framing theory suggests that mechanisms behind the effect of environmental cues, on norm conformity, are a shift in the strength of overachieving goals. Environmental cues encourage mental representations of a desired future state, which influences behavior.
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