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Habitual behaviors or patterns of practice? Explaining and changing repetitive climate‐relevant actions

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  • Tim Kurz
  • Benjamin Gardner
  • Bas Verplanken
  • Charles Abraham

Abstract

Understanding human behavior lies at the heart of responses to climate change. Many environmentally relevant behavior patterns are frequent, stable, and persistent. There is an increasing focus on understanding these patterns less in terms of deliberative processes and more in terms of habits and routines embedded in everyday life. Examinations of the ‘habitual’ nature of environmentally consequential activities have been approached from two theoretically distinct perspectives. From a social psychological perspective, ‘habit’ is studied as an intra‐individual psychological construct that sustains ingrained behavior patterns in stable settings and obstructs adoption of more environmentally friendly alternatives. Sociologists from the social practice tradition, in contrast, have sought to highlight the ways in which resource‐intensive ‘habitual practices’ become established and maintained in society through a commingling of material, procedural, and socio‐discursive elements. We reflect critically upon key theoretical differences underpinning these two approaches to repetitive behaviors and review empirical work from both traditions that speaks to the relevance of ‘habitual behavior patterns’ central to addressing climate change. Finally, we examine how changes in habits are theorized and operationalized within both social psychological and social practice approaches, and practical implications for promoting environmentally sustainable societies. WIREs Clim Change 2015, 6:113–128. doi: 10.1002/wcc.327 This article is categorized under: Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Behavior Change and Responses

Suggested Citation

  • Tim Kurz & Benjamin Gardner & Bas Verplanken & Charles Abraham, 2015. "Habitual behaviors or patterns of practice? Explaining and changing repetitive climate‐relevant actions," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 6(1), pages 113-128, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:wirecc:v:6:y:2015:i:1:p:113-128
    DOI: 10.1002/wcc.327
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    10. Ioana Bejan & Carsten Lynge Jensen & Laura M. Andersen & Lars Gårn Hansen, 2018. "The Economic Value of Habits in Household Production – A Field Experiment," IFRO Working Paper 2018/01, University of Copenhagen, Department of Food and Resource Economics.
    11. Cheng, Xiu & Long, Ruyin & Wu, Fan & Geng, Jichao & Yang, Jiameng, 2023. "How social interaction shapes habitual and occasional low-carbon consumption behaviors: Evidence from ten cities in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
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    16. Casati, Mirta & Soregaroli, Claudio & Rommel, Jens & Luzzani, Gloria & Stranieri, Stefanella, 2023. "Please keep ordering! A natural field experiment assessing a carbon label introduction," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
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    18. Jayne Hutchinson & Stephanie L. Prady & Michaela A. Smith & Piran C. L. White & Hilary M. Graham, 2015. "A Scoping Review of Observational Studies Examining Relationships between Environmental Behaviors and Health Behaviors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-26, May.
    19. Rabaa, Simon & Geisendorf, Sylvie & Wilken, Robert, 2022. "Why change does (not) happen: Understanding and overcoming status quo biases in climate change mitigation," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 45(1), pages 100-134.
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    21. Brückmann, Gracia, 2022. "Test-drives & information might not boost actual battery electric vehicle uptake?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 204-218.

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