In this assessment you will be evaluating an example of a human-environment problem (such as littering,recycling, way finding or problematic designs of shared spaces) and proposing a solution.
The example you select must be small-scale, local and manageable - that is, it should lend itself to a brief case study evaluation. You should propose solutions that are reasonably achievable given the resources at your own disposal. Resources at your own disposal may also include those which you can persuade somebody else to contribute to your intervention - in this case, you must justify how you will persuade them to do so.
Behaviour and Environment Case Study Assessment An Overview In this assessment you will be evaluating an example of a human-environment problem and proposing a solution. The example you select must be small-scale, local and manageable - that is, it should lend itself to a brief case study evaluation. You should propose solutions that are reasonably achievable given the resources at your own disposal. Resources at your own disposal may also include those which you can persuade somebody else to contribute to your intervention - in this case, you must justify how you will persuade them to do so. Apptivity 1 (the Case Study Preparation Apptivity) offers a guide for getting started on this assessment task and is strongly recommended for completion early in the session. Your case study assessment should be presented as a report that covers the 4 sections outlined below. These sections should form the overall structure for your submitted work Section 1 - Overview of issue/intervention Aim: Define the problem, giving a broad description of the setting/context and outline your proposed solution. In providing an overview of the problem area, your goal is to summarise your chosen issue and its context, identifying the psychological factors involved. In outlining your solution, please summarise the following key details: (a) Which element/s of the problem you are aiming to solve. (b) How your solution will be implemented. Importantly, your overview should very specifically identify the psychological factors targeted in the intervention. If you are not proposing a primarily psychological intervention, please reconsider your approach/topic. It is not appropriate to propose any intervention which primarily focuses on physical or structural changes (see the marking criteria below). PLEASE, DO NOT USE PUNITIVE INTERVENTIONS (THOSE THAT INVOLVE PUNISHMENT). Section 2 - Identify important stakeholders Aim: Identify who is most at stake in the situation – that is, who uses the setting in which the problem occurs, who is most impacted by the problem you have identified, and who is most responsible for managing the setting. Please do not exclude any central decision makers (ie: Owners of relevant property, etc.). You can also think about this in terms of the specific people (or groups of people) who most use or engage with the setting in which the problem arises. Please do not forget to consider non-human stakeholders. Animals such as pets and wildlife are frequently likely to be impacted by problems of human-environment relations. Consider both who is most relevant to causing and solving the problem. Section 3 - Explain how the strategy would be implemented Aim: Present specific guidelines for the intervention strategy you have developed, discussing its components in detail. In describing the strategy, try and break it down into discrete (simplified) steps. For example, to change elements of a setting design, you will need to work with the people responsible for that setting. So, step 1 might involve stakeholder meetings, followed by a proposal of key changes at step 2, then an implementations phase as step 3. Feedback to the community or relevant users of the setting could be included at any or all of these stages, to assess the effectiveness of your measures... There are many ways to approach any intervention, so you will need to think critically about your own situation. However, there are key questions that you could ask yourself to get started thinking on the right track. Please also consider sharing your approaches on the discussion board so that we can collaborate! Key questions to get started: Do you think that it would be effective to change the behaviour of groups or individuals in the setting? Are you intending to change aspects of the setting design? How would you propose actually making that change happen? What kind of information, knowledge or skills does this require? Who will do the things you propose? Who will pay for it? Are there existing community groups that could be utilised to address the situation? What kind of support is necessary? Ultimately, you need to explain what your intervention strategy is intended to achieve, and how you propose to make it happen. Section 4 - Evaluate the rationale for the strategy Aim: Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of your intervention by explaining why it should work. This should be linked to relevant scholarly literature (theory/research) to provide a higher level of academic support. Importantly, a key element of this section will be identifying why the strategy should work from a psychological perspective. Again, please revise your intervention and/or topic choice if it does not primarily entail a psychological approach/solution. You should also identify and consider potential barriers to making change with your proposed intervention. That is, what are key foreseeable issues affecting your intervention strategy and how might they be mitigated? Tips for developing a solution You can proceed from your own intuitive perspective and logical thinking... However, you are encouraged to adopt a more academically rigorous approach, as described below. This will also earn you much higher marks. Entry level research options include searching (environmental psychology) text-books, or other secondary sources for information and perspectives on behavioural change and ideas for strategies. Higher level approaches will involve more targeted academic research. This will typically be of two sorts: · · Research on specific interventions, which can be related (directly or indirectly) to your specific area. · For example, Werner, Cook, Colby, & Lim (2012) describe the effective use of group discussion in changing “lights out behaviour” (turning off lights when leaving the room) in university classrooms. Many such studies can be found, and if they are relevant to your specific topic, then they might provide direct support for a strategy. · If it does not apply directly, you may instead be able to use such research as indirect support for an intervention strategy by explaining how that strategy can be applied to your particular area (and why it should be effective)! You will have to argue convincingly that your extrapolation of such a solution to your chosen scenario is justified. · Information on behavioural change, interventions, and that sort of thing more generally. · For example, the article “encouraging pro-environmental behaviour” by Steg & Vlek (2009) is a useful starting place to broaden your perspective on the topic. You can also investigate sources that they provide to discover further readings on more specific topics. · You could also look up behavioural theories such as Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991), or Stern’s Values-Beliefs-Norms model (Stern, 2000). It is strongly recommended that you consider this book to get an idea of the kinds of psychological interventions which can be used for your chosen problem: Abrahamse, W. (2019). Encouraging pro-environmental behaviour: What works, what doesn't, and why. Sciencedirect. Behaviour & Environment Case Study (ENTER YOUR NAME) – (ENTER YOUR STUDENT NUMBER) Section 1: Overview of Issue of Human-Environment Relations & Proposed Intervention (Delete this and enter your text for this section here) Section 2: Identify all key stakeholders: (Delete this and enter your text for this section here) Section 3: Explain how the Intervention Strategy should be implemented (Delete this and enter your text for this section here) Section 4: Evaluation of strategy/rationale (why should your intervention be effective?) (Delete this and enter your text for this section here) References Page 1 of 2 Criteria and Standards Case Study Criteria and Standards Overview of issue/intervention (10%) Identify important stakeholders (15%) Explain how the strategy would be implemented (15%) Conceptual Evaluation (20%) Exceptional Clearly and specifically identifies the nature of the problem and clearly summarises the proposed solution. Problem is small- scale, local and manageable. Identification of stakeholders is entirely clear, focusing on specific people (or groups) that are most involved with the problem Explanation for how almost all aspects of the strategy would be implemented is clear and accurate, only very minor gaps. Rationale for the strategy is based on thorough and well developed conceptual argument Developed Effective identification of the problem AND concise summary of the intervention. Little ambiguity is present. Problem is small- scale, local and manageable. Identification of stakeholders is almost entirely clear and accurate – any missing details do not impact clarity Clear explanation for how most aspects of the strategy would be implemented There is a strong rationale for the strategy, with clear conceptual argument, although it may have minor gaps Competent Effectively identifies the problem OR effectively summarises the intervention. Little ambiguity is present. Problem is small- scale, local and manageable. Generally clear identification of stakeholders, but may need more attention to details and specifics about the people involved Generally clear explanation for how the strategy would be implemented, but may have some missing links Conceptual argument is generally clear, but may have gaps or elements not considered Satisfactory A reasonable attempt has been made to identify the problem and summarise the intervention. However, some ambiguity is present. Problem is small- scale, local and manageable. Reasonable attempt at explaining who the stakeholders are, but lacks clarity or specifics Ensure that you identify specific groups/people involved with the problem Reasonable attempt at explaining how the strategy would be implemented, but may not be clear how it would actually work Reasonable attempt at developing a rationale for the strategy, but key points tend to be based on personal reflection. May also have gaps or aspects unexamined Not Satisfactory Does not sufficiently identify the nature of the problem or doesn’t clearly summarise the proposed solution. OR Problem is not small-scale, local and manageable. Does not explain clearly who the key stakeholders are Does not explain clearly how the intervention would be implemented No substantial attempts at presenting a rationale for the effectiveness of the strategy Criteria and Standards Case Study Criteria and Standards Evidence (20%) Referencing (10%) Expression (5%) Structure (5%) Exceptional Support for key claims is always