Despite a long tradition of effectiveness in laboratory tests, normative messages have had mixed success in changing behavior in field contexts, with some studies showing boomerang effects. To test a theoretical account of this inconsistency,we conduc . . .

The present research investigated the persuasive impact and detectability of normative social influence. The first study surveyed 810 Californians about energy conservation and found that descriptive normative beliefs were more predictive of behavior . . .

The moderating role of behavioral difficulty in the attitude–behavior relationship remains a controversial topic in social psychology. Previous research has been unclear in establishing the direction of this moderation, and 3 theoretical models have b . . .

Radio and television offer promising media for addressing large-scale social problems. Unfortunately, very few mass-media messages have utilized social psychological theories of persuasion and influence. This article summarizes 2 studies that evaluate . . .

Recent studies have suggested that crime-prevention strategies tend to interact with characteristics of the community in such a way that what works in one community might not work in another. In this article, we extend this finding to fear of crime an . . .

There is ample evidence of the power of social influence on pro-environmental behaviors. Beliefs about the conservation behavior of others (descriptive normative beliefs) have a strong positive correlation with one’s own conservation actions. However, . . .

In Southern California, white croaker caught within proximity to the Palos Verdes Shelf Superfund Site have been found to be contaminated with such high levels of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane and polychlorinated biphenyls that fish consumption ad . . .

Across 14 different outdoor settings in 8 states, the authors interviewed 102 disposers to examine how littering behavior is affected by environmental factors, social norms, demographic characteristics, and self-reported motivations. Observations reve . . .

Most instances of deteriorating environmental conditions are caused by human behavior. Although there are certainly instances of such environmental conditions developing from natural processes, most are largely the result of human activity. Drivers of . . .

Three studies are reported that examine the effects of valence on connectedness with nature. In Study 1, results showed that the implicit association test (IAT) effect is robust to the valence of the stimuli. Participants showed stronger self-nature t . . .

This research investigates how participation in college-based science-training programs increases student intention to pursue a scientific career. Using identity theory, we delineate three levels of social structure and conceptualize science-training . . .

This article reports the results from a large-scale study of littering behavior. Findings are reported from coded observations of the littering behavior among 9,757 individuals at 130 outdoor public locations in the United States. The focus was on lit . . .

It is widely agreed that humans must reduce their environmental impact. We propose that an improved understanding of our evolved human nature can help to improve programs and policies to address environmental problems. Combining evolutionary and socia . . .

Prior research has shown a tendency for environmental problems to be rated as more severe at the global level than at the local level. The present article reports reanalyses of a large cross-cultural data set (Study 1: k = 22, N = 3,277) and new cross . . .

The goal of this research was to test the role of contextually implied descriptive social norms in promoting energy conservation, and the norm– salience consequences of posted messages. In Experiment 1, the norm in a campus computer laboratory was man . . .

Recent technological advancements in lighting have produced light bulbs that are dramatically more efficient than the traditional incandescent bulb. Yet despite these benefits, the marketplace has been slow to adopt these newer and more efficient bulb . . .

This article examines the role of social norms messages in promoting water conservation. A field experiment is reported in which residents were provided with personalized feedback about their water consumption, coupled with normative information about . . .

Personal and political action on climate change is traditionally thought to be motivated by people accepting its reality and importance. However, convincing the public that climate change is real faces powerful ideological obstacles1, 2, 3, 4, and cli . . .

We set forth an argument for the integration of social science research with natural science and engineering research in major research infrastructure investments addressing water science. A program of integrated observation of water resources offers . . .

"This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record." Students from several ethnic minority groups are underrepresented in the sciences, indicating that minority students more frequently . . .

For more than 40 years, there has been a concerted national effort to promote diversity among the scientific research community. Yet given the persistent national-level disparity in educational achievements of students from various ethnic and racial g . . .

"This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record." Stereotype threat impairs performance across many domains. Despite a wealth of research, the long-term consequences of chronic stere . . .

"This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record." The underrepresentation of racial minorities and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines is a . . .

Achieving a sustainable future will require that people do things differently. Community-based social marketing (CBSM) provides a framework for fostering sustainable behavior, and the approach is being increasingly utilized across a range of domains i . . .

Many psychological processes unfold over time, necessitating longitudinal research designs. Longitudinal research poses a host of methodological challenges, foremost of which is participant attrition. Building on Dillman’s work, we provide a review of . . .

Smart grid systems aim to provide a more stable and adaptable electricity infrastructure, and to maximize energy efficiency. Grid-linked technologies vary widely in form and function, but generally share common potentials: to reduce energy consumption . . .

Stereotypes influence academic interests, performance, and ultimately career goals. The long-standing National Institutes of Health Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) training program has been shown to be effective at retaining unde . . .

Smart home technologies offer exciting opportunities to promote more efficient uses of energy. For instance, programmable thermostats, centralized lighting controls, and rooftop solar panels all have potential for energy conservation and efficiency. H . . .

To investigate the critical information in long-term visual memory representations of objects, we used occlusion to emphasize one type of information or another. By occluding one solid side of the object (e.g., top 50%) or by occluding 50% of the obje . . .