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A more dynamic understanding of human behaviour for the Anthropocene

Author

Listed:
  • Caroline Schill

    (The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
    Stockholm University)

  • John M. Anderies

    (School of Sustainability, Arizona State University
    School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University
    Institutions and the Environment, Arizona State University)

  • Therese Lindahl

    (The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
    Stockholm University)

  • Carl Folke

    (The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
    Stockholm University)

  • Stephen Polasky

    (University of Minnesota)

  • Juan Camilo Cárdenas

    (Universidad de Los Andes)

  • Anne-Sophie Crépin

    (The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
    Stockholm University)

  • Marco A. Janssen

    (School of Sustainability, Arizona State University
    Institutions and the Environment, Arizona State University)

  • Jon Norberg

    (Stockholm University)

  • Maja Schlüter

    (Stockholm University)

Abstract

Human behaviour is of profound significance in shaping pathways towards sustainability. Yet, the approach to understanding human behaviour in many fields remains reliant on overly simplistic models. For a better understanding of the interface between human behaviour and sustainability, we take work in behavioural economics and cognitive psychology as a starting point, but argue for an expansion of this work by adopting a more dynamic and systemic understanding of human behaviour, that is, as part of complex adaptive systems. A complex adaptive systems approach allows us to capture behaviour as ‘enculturated’ and ‘enearthed’, co-evolving with socio–cultural and biophysical contexts. Connecting human behaviour and context through a complex adaptive systems lens is critical to inform environmental governance and management for sustainability, and ultimately to better understand the dynamics of the Anthropocene itself.

Suggested Citation

  • Caroline Schill & John M. Anderies & Therese Lindahl & Carl Folke & Stephen Polasky & Juan Camilo Cárdenas & Anne-Sophie Crépin & Marco A. Janssen & Jon Norberg & Maja Schlüter, 2019. "A more dynamic understanding of human behaviour for the Anthropocene," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(12), pages 1075-1082, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:2:y:2019:i:12:d:10.1038_s41893-019-0419-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-019-0419-7
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    Cited by:

    1. Ortwin Renn & Ilan Chabay & Sander van der Leeuw & Solène Droy, 2020. "Beyond the Indicators: Improving Science, Scholarship, Policy and Practice to Meet the Complex Challenges of Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-6, January.
    2. Schlindwein, L.F. & Montalvo, C., 2023. "Energy citizenship: Accounting for the heterogeneity of human behaviours within energy transition," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    3. Herbert Ntuli & Anne-Sophie Crépin & Caroline Schill & Edwin Muchapondwa, 2023. "Sanctioned Quotas Versus Information Provisioning for Community Wildlife Conservation in Zimbabwe: A Framed Field Experiment Approach," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 84(3), pages 775-823, March.
    4. Ortiz-Przychodzka, Stefan & Benavides-Frías, Camila & Raymond, Christopher M. & Díaz-Reviriego, Isabel & Hanspach, Jan, 2023. "Rethinking Economic Practices and Values As Assemblages of More-Than-Human Relations," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    5. Khashayar Razghandi & Emad Yaghmaei, 2020. "Rethinking Filter: An Interdisciplinary Inquiry into Typology and Concept of Filter, Towards an Active Filter Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-34, September.
    6. Kai Greenlees & Randolph Cornelius, 2021. "The promise of panarchy in managed retreat: converging psychological perspectives and complex adaptive systems theory," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 11(3), pages 503-510, September.
    7. Hoffmann, Christin & Hoppe, Julia Amelie & Ziemann, Niklas, 2022. "Faster, harder, greener? Empirical evidence on the role of the individual Pace of Life for productivity and pro-environmental behavior," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    8. Michael Hallsworth, 2023. "A manifesto for applying behavioural science," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 7(3), pages 310-322, March.
    9. Dylan E. McNamara & Martin D. Smith & Zachary Williams & Sathya Gopalakrishnan & Craig E. Landry, 2024. "Policy and market forces delay real estate price declines on the US coast," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.
    10. Eduardo Marone & Martin Bohle, 2020. "Geoethics for Nudging Human Practices in Times of Pandemics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-15, September.
    11. Robert Huber & Hang Xiong & Kevin Keller & Robert Finger, 2022. "Bridging behavioural factors and standard bio‐economic modelling in an agent‐based modelling framework," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 73(1), pages 35-63, February.
    12. Nilsson, L. & Bunnefeld, N. & Minderman, J. & Duthie, A. B, 2021. "Effects of stakeholder empowerment on crane population and agricultural production," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 440(C).
    13. Leonie Hodel & Yann Polain de Waroux & Rachael D. Garrett, 2024. "Characterizing culture’s influence in land systems," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 7(8), pages 973-982, August.
    14. Ryschawy, Julie & Tiffany, Sara & Gaudin, Amélie & Niles, Meredith T. & Garrett, Rachael D., 2021. "Moving niche agroecological initiatives to the mainstream: A case-study of sheep-vineyard integration in California," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    15. Clark, Matt & Andrews, Jeffrey & Hillis, Vicken, 2022. "A quantitative application of diffusion of innovations for modeling the spread of conservation behaviors," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 473(C).
    16. Schill, Caroline & Rocha, Juan Carlos, 2023. "Sustaining local commons in the face of uncertain ecological thresholds: Evidence from a framed field experiment with Colombian small-scale fishers," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    17. Rigolot, C. & Quantin, M., 2022. "Biodynamic farming as a resource for sustainability transformations: Potential and challenges," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    18. An, Li & Grimm, Volker & Sullivan, Abigail & Turner II, B.L. & Malleson, Nicolas & Heppenstall, Alison & Vincenot, Christian & Robinson, Derek & Ye, Xinyue & Liu, Jianguo & Lindkvist, Emilie & Tang, W, 2021. "Challenges, tasks, and opportunities in modeling agent-based complex systems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 457(C).
    19. Winkelmann, Ricarda & Donges, Jonathan F. & Smith, E. Keith & Milkoreit, Manjana & Eder, Christina & Heitzig, Jobst & Katsanidou, Alexia & Wiedermann, Marc & Wunderling, Nico & Lenton, Timothy M., 2022. "Social tipping processes towards climate action: A conceptual framework," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    20. Anand, Amitabh & Vessal, Saeedeh Rezeaee & Rathi, Kishore & Ameen, Nisreen, 2021. "Show me your mobile and I will tell you who you are: Forecasting consumer compassion and altruism behaviour through smartphone type and usage," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).

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