Periodic Reporting for period 4 - MOCHA (Understanding and leveraging ‘moments of change’ for pro-environmental behaviour shifts)
Reporting period: 2023-07-01 to 2024-04-30
Responding to climate change requires profound changes to individual behaviour. However, much of our behaviour is habitual, resistant to change, and cued by stable contexts (i.e. same time, place and/or social group). When these habits are disrupted, it provides an opportunity to intervene to foster pro-environmental behaviour.
‘Moments of change’ are when individual life circumstances shift within a short timeframe, and include biographical and external changes (e.g. becoming a parent, travel disruption). The relationship between moments of change and environmental impact is complex, with differences between individuals, cultures, and behaviours. The MOCHA (Understanding and leveraging ‘moments of change’ for pro-environmental behaviour shifts) project was an ERC Consolidator Grant running from May 2019 to April 2024. This project brought together insights from several fields to bring a much-needed focus on the timings and causes of pro-environmental behaviour (change).
The project examined how pro-environmental lifestyle changes might be achieved through understanding and harnessing ‘moments of change’ in life circumstances. There were two objectives for the research (a) To explore and track moments of pro-environmental behaviour change across cultures and life course; and (b) To examine the effectiveness of behavioural interventions targeted to moments of change.
Three work packages addressed the project’s objectives through an ambitious programme of cross-cultural research using secondary and big data analyses, longitudinal qualitative interviews, and panel surveys to explore moments of change. These were:
• WP1: Exploring moments of pro-environmental change across cultures and the life-course.
• WP2: Longitudinal behavioural analysis of moments of change.
• WP3: Interventions targeted to moments of change.
‘Moments of change’ are when individual life circumstances shift within a short timeframe, and include biographical and external changes (e.g. becoming a parent, travel disruption). The relationship between moments of change and environmental impact is complex, with differences between individuals, cultures, and behaviours. The MOCHA (Understanding and leveraging ‘moments of change’ for pro-environmental behaviour shifts) project was an ERC Consolidator Grant running from May 2019 to April 2024. This project brought together insights from several fields to bring a much-needed focus on the timings and causes of pro-environmental behaviour (change).
The project examined how pro-environmental lifestyle changes might be achieved through understanding and harnessing ‘moments of change’ in life circumstances. There were two objectives for the research (a) To explore and track moments of pro-environmental behaviour change across cultures and life course; and (b) To examine the effectiveness of behavioural interventions targeted to moments of change.
Three work packages addressed the project’s objectives through an ambitious programme of cross-cultural research using secondary and big data analyses, longitudinal qualitative interviews, and panel surveys to explore moments of change. These were:
• WP1: Exploring moments of pro-environmental change across cultures and the life-course.
• WP2: Longitudinal behavioural analysis of moments of change.
• WP3: Interventions targeted to moments of change.
WP1. Conceptual development comprised an interdisciplinary expert workshop, several international symposia, and seven published evidence reviews. This work advanced understanding of the nature and potential of MoC in relation to climate action. Empirical work explored MoCs across cultures and the life-course. Working with collaborators in Lithuania and Nigeria, we recruited retirees and new parents for a three-time point quantitative survey and qualitative interviews. In parallel, we conducted qualitative interviews with young adults in the UK, exploring changes in pro-environmental identity and habits since starting university; and two online longitudinal surveys to track the impacts of COVID-19 and the transition to university on young people aged 16-24 on their identity and habits. Several papers were submitted for publication.
WP2. Analysis of the UK Household Longitudinal Survey on how biographical moments of change impact mobility behaviours found relocators and new parents decreased bus, train, and bicycle use. Using a US retail consumption dataset, we identified effects of MoCs on food choices. Big data analysis of a UK retailer longitudinal dataset detected how MoC (relocation, new year) impact green consumption. A three-wave survey across four countries led to a paper testing the inclusion of habit in the stage model of self-regulated behaviour. Three empirical studies on unanticipated moments of change (COVID-19, 2022 heatwave/drought) led to several stakeholder talks and papers.
WP3. Activities included developing an online intervention (‘self-affirmation’ manipulation) to promote sustainable food and mobility habits targeted to MoCs (starting university, lifting COVID restrictions); a habit-breaking intervention targeting the cost-of-living crisis; and a water-saving intervention (advice, feedback) targeting new university students on campus. Two papers were submitted for publication.
WP2. Analysis of the UK Household Longitudinal Survey on how biographical moments of change impact mobility behaviours found relocators and new parents decreased bus, train, and bicycle use. Using a US retail consumption dataset, we identified effects of MoCs on food choices. Big data analysis of a UK retailer longitudinal dataset detected how MoC (relocation, new year) impact green consumption. A three-wave survey across four countries led to a paper testing the inclusion of habit in the stage model of self-regulated behaviour. Three empirical studies on unanticipated moments of change (COVID-19, 2022 heatwave/drought) led to several stakeholder talks and papers.
WP3. Activities included developing an online intervention (‘self-affirmation’ manipulation) to promote sustainable food and mobility habits targeted to MoCs (starting university, lifting COVID restrictions); a habit-breaking intervention targeting the cost-of-living crisis; and a water-saving intervention (advice, feedback) targeting new university students on campus. Two papers were submitted for publication.
MOCHA contributed important methodological advances. Our work was unusual in applying longitudinal approaches over periods of many years (e.g. our four-wave COVID study spanned 2020-2022). Moreover, the use of photo elicitation and longitudinal biographical interviews across three-waves was entirely new. We also worked at the forefront of computational social science. In collaboration with Nottingham University’s N/LAB, we designed a protocol for identifying key moments of change (e.g. relocation, new year) within a major retailer’s consumption dataset and assessed how these moments of change impact sustainable consumption choices. This included identifying discontinuities in location of primary shop visited to operationalise residential relocation. This highly novel big data analysis shed light on how biographical transitions impact consumption practices – an area never explored before in habits research.
MOCHA also advanced understanding about moments of change in important ways. Our work was also interdisciplinary; for example, we conducted the first review on MoC that spans the social sciences. The project was also unique in examining behaviour change across cultures – and our findings indicated very large cross-cultural variation in how life transitions impact sustainable choices. The MOCHA team was also at the forefront of identifying the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyles, and in particular how it shaped low-carbon practices. MOCHA highlighted heterogeneity across moments of change and the dynamics of diverse pro-environmental behaviours; dynamics also vary across populations (e.g. genders, cultures). Existing definitions of such events under the umbrella of ‘moments of change’ may be conceptually limited; it is difficult to identify their trajectories and the extent to which events causally influence people’s lifestyles, given the constant flux of social life. The qualitative research across cultures similarly showed the wide variability in experiences of diverse moments of change, and the extent to which environmental sustainability is considered during these transitions. A key insight was that there is rarely a discrete start and end point to biographical moments of change, such as retirement or starting a family, with planning starting months or years earlier, and varying periods of subsequent adjustment. MOCHA also found unexpected impacts of COVID-19 on food practices, such as the dramatic reduction in food waste. MOCHA's WP3 work tested interventions to identify how best to exploit moments of change to achieve sustainable outcomes. This provided the unexpected insight that there may be an ‘optimal’ level of disruption for ensuring intervention efficacy; immediately following a MoC may be too disruptive, but waiting too long may miss the window of opportunity for alternating habits while they are malleable.
MOCHA also advanced understanding about moments of change in important ways. Our work was also interdisciplinary; for example, we conducted the first review on MoC that spans the social sciences. The project was also unique in examining behaviour change across cultures – and our findings indicated very large cross-cultural variation in how life transitions impact sustainable choices. The MOCHA team was also at the forefront of identifying the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on lifestyles, and in particular how it shaped low-carbon practices. MOCHA highlighted heterogeneity across moments of change and the dynamics of diverse pro-environmental behaviours; dynamics also vary across populations (e.g. genders, cultures). Existing definitions of such events under the umbrella of ‘moments of change’ may be conceptually limited; it is difficult to identify their trajectories and the extent to which events causally influence people’s lifestyles, given the constant flux of social life. The qualitative research across cultures similarly showed the wide variability in experiences of diverse moments of change, and the extent to which environmental sustainability is considered during these transitions. A key insight was that there is rarely a discrete start and end point to biographical moments of change, such as retirement or starting a family, with planning starting months or years earlier, and varying periods of subsequent adjustment. MOCHA also found unexpected impacts of COVID-19 on food practices, such as the dramatic reduction in food waste. MOCHA's WP3 work tested interventions to identify how best to exploit moments of change to achieve sustainable outcomes. This provided the unexpected insight that there may be an ‘optimal’ level of disruption for ensuring intervention efficacy; immediately following a MoC may be too disruptive, but waiting too long may miss the window of opportunity for alternating habits while they are malleable.