(Ineffective) Messages to Encourage Recycling : Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation in Peru

Chong, Alberto ; Karlan, Dean ; Shapiro, Jeremy ; Zinman, Jonathan

Oxford University Press on behalf of the World Bank

关键词: recycling;    environmental policies;    behavioral economics;    social policy;   

DOI  :  10.1093/wber/lht022

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

There is growing interest in using messaging to drive prosocial behaviors, which contribute to investment in public goods. We worked with a leading nongovernmental organization in Peru to randomize nine different prorecycling messages that were crafted on the basis of best practices, prior evidence, and theories of behavioral change. Different variants emphasized information on environmental or social benefits, social comparisons, social sanctions, authority, and reminders. None of the messages had significant effects on recycling behavior. However, reducing the cost of ongoing participation by providing a recycling bin significantly increased recycling among enrolled households.