In a well-documented case of “bystander apathy”, a young woman called Kitty Genovese was beaten to death in New York in 1964 while 38 people looked from their windows. Nobody called the police during the one and a half hour attack. The plethora of research conducted on this and similar cases has revealed the power of “diffusion of responsibility”, which occurs when people fail to act due to a lack of individual accountability which occurs in certain circumstances. (“The Tipping Point”, by Malcolm Gladwell, discusses this phenomenon in depth). When we feel that responsibility is shared between a vast number of people, our own responsibility is somehow diminished. Could this be the case in situations where people fail to act on environmental issues?
Environmental problems certainly fit the profile of the kind of shared responsibility in which a diffusion of responsibility would take place. Research reveals that several key factors contribute to such a diffusion.
Firstly, a larger group size reduces the extent to which individuals feel a sense of responsibility. Several studies have show that, for instance, when people observe an emergency in a large group, they are less likely to intervene than when they are on their own, or in a smaller group. When we consider the challenges of global warming, both the cause and possible solutions involve an immense number of people. Therefore, it is easy to see how people would see their own share of the responsibility as pretty insignificant.
Closely linked to group size is the power of anonymity. When people perceive that they will not be found out, they are less likely to act in the public interest. Many studies have concluded that the depersonalising effects of urbanisation have reduced people’s sense of community accountability. As much environmentally significant behaviour are done in private, such as spending time in the shower and using home energy, there is very little social accountability. Indeed, research has found that curbside recycling behaviour is very much linked to being seen to be doing the right thing by the neighbours, perhaps explaining it’s relative popularity as a green behaviour.
The distance in time and space of the environmental issues confronting us are another perfect opportunity to diffuse responsibility. Many people feel that the problems are so intangible due to the apparent lack of immediacy, and the belief that they will take place primarily in far-flung parts of the world, that their actions can’t possibly make a significant difference. This leads to what is termed a lack of “efficacy” – one’s ability to make a difference. Self-efficacy is well-established as a key driver of green behaviours.
If we are to overcome the issue of diffusion of responsibility as a barrier to sustainable behaviour, it makes sense to address each of it’s parts individually.
Firstly, the issue of group size suggests that people need to feel that they are part of a smaller group responsible for addressing problems with personally relevant consequences. Hence the importance of the “think global, act local” concept. While it is difficult to see how one person can stop the Arctic ice shelf melting, it is likely to be a lot more realistic to see how they can contribute to making the local beach cleaner. Engaging people in such localised efforts is a key step to increasing participation in green initiatives.
Anonymity may also be addressed by community-scale efforts. Where people identify with a group, the peer pressure and effect of social norms is a strong driver for behaviour which is consistent with that group. This is where the importance of pledges and commitments is underlined, as a way of creating group accountability.
Similar to group size, distance in time and space needs to be overcome by focusing on more local, immediate effects. Wherever local examples of environmental problems can be highlighted, the more salient the message is likely to be. People respond more strongly to threats which are immediate and close to home, making it more difficult to believe that it is someone else’s problem.
In summary, engaging people in sustainable behaviours starts with getting them to accept their responsibility to take action. The several psychological factors which lead to a diffusion of this responsibility are best addressed through a focus on building a sense of community, and engaging people in local actions. When people can see for themselves the problems, and their own crucial role in addressing them, they are more likely to take action themselves, rather than waiting for someone else to do something.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE?
You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:
Awake provides psychology-based services to support the development of sustainable behaviour in individuals, groups and organisations. Visit www.awake.com.au for more info
