A Room with a Viewpoint: Using Social Norms to Motivate Environmental Conservation in Hotels

Noah J. Goldstein; Robert B. Cialdini; Vladas Griskevicius

doi:10.1086/586910

journal article Mar 03, 2008

A Room with a Viewpoint: Using Social Norms to Motivate Environmental Conservation in Hotels

Noah J. Goldstein

Robert B. Cialdini Vladas Griskevicius

Journal of Consumer Research Vol. 35 No. 3 pp. 472-482 · Oxford University Press (OUP)

View at Publisher Save 10.1086/586910

Abstract

Abstract
Two field experiments examined the effectiveness of signs requesting hotel guests' participation in an environmental conservation program. Appeals employing descriptive norms (e.g., “the majority of guests reuse their towels”) proved superior to a traditional appeal widely used by hotels that focused solely on environmental protection. Moreover, normative appeals were most effective when describing group behavior that occurred in the setting that most closely matched individuals' immediate situational circumstances (e.g., “the majority of guests in this room reuse their towels”), which we refer to as provincial norms. Theoretical and practical implications for managing proenvironmental efforts are discussed.

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Details

Published: Mar 03, 2008
Vol/Issue: 35(3)
Pages: 472-482

Authors

N

Noah J. Goldstein

University of Chicago

R

Robert B. Cialdini

Arizona State University

V

Vladas Griskevicius

University of Minnesota

Cite This Article

Noah J. Goldstein, Robert B. Cialdini, Vladas Griskevicius (2008). A Room with a Viewpoint: Using Social Norms to Motivate Environmental Conservation in Hotels. Journal of Consumer Research, 35(3), 472-482. https://doi.org/10.1086/586910

A Room with a Viewpoint: Using Social Norms to Motivate Environmental Conservation in Hotels

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