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Cleaning up our acts: Psychological interventions to reduce engine idling and improve air quality

Abrams, D.; Lalot, F.; Hopthrow, T.; Templeton, A.; Steeden, B.; Özkeçeci, H.; Imada, H.; Warbis, S.; Sandiford, D.; Meleady, R.; Fell, E.; Abrams, Z.; Abrams, A.; Ngan, X.Q.; Celina, S.; Tanyeri, A.; Gammon, M.; Abrams, B.; Fischer, L.; Drysdale, S.; Dewi, R.; Leite, A.C.; Mills, A.; Peckham, S.

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Authors

D. Abrams

F. Lalot

T. Hopthrow

A. Templeton

B. Steeden

H. Özkeçeci

H. Imada

S. Warbis

D. Sandiford

R. Meleady

E. Fell

Z. Abrams

A. Abrams

X.Q. Ngan

S. Celina

A. Tanyeri

M. Gammon

B. Abrams

L. Fischer

S. Drysdale

R. Dewi

A. Mills

S. Peckham



Abstract

A large-scale field experiment tested psychological interventions to reduce engine idling at long-wait stops. Messages based on theories of normative influence, outcome efficacy, and self-regulation were displayed approaching railway crossing on street poles. Observers coded whether drivers (N = 6049) turned off their engine while waiting at the railway crossings (only 27.2% did so at baseline). Automatic air quality monitors recorded levels of pollutants during barrier down times. To different degrees, the social norm and outcome efficacy messages successfully increased the proportion of drivers who turned off their engines (by 42% and 25%, respectively) and significantly reduced concentrations of atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5) 2 m above ground level. Thus, the environment was improved through behavior change. Moreover, of both practical and theoretical significance, there was an ‘accelerator effect’, in line with theories of normative influence whereby the social norm message was increasingly effective as the volume of traffic increased.

Citation

Abrams, D., Lalot, F., Hopthrow, T., Templeton, A., Steeden, B., Özkeçeci, H., …Peckham, S. (2021). Cleaning up our acts: Psychological interventions to reduce engine idling and improve air quality. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 74, Article 101587. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101587

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 11, 2021
Online Publication Date Mar 15, 2021
Publication Date 2021-04
Deposit Date Mar 26, 2021
Publicly Available Date Mar 15, 2023
Journal Journal of Environmental Psychology
Print ISSN 0272-4944
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 74
Article Number 101587
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2021.101587

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