Utilising cognitive dissonance to promote household pro-environmental behaviour: A scoping review

Abstract

Climate change mitigation requires effective behaviour change methods. Cognitive dissonance interventions have been successful in promoting positive health behaviour change, and preliminary evidence suggests that they may be useful interventions for pro-environmental behaviour change, particularly within households. However, a comprehensive overview of cognitive dissonance intervention methods targeting household pro-environmental behaviours and effectiveness is lacking. This scoping review explores the effectiveness of cognitive dissonance-based interventions in promoting household pro-environmental behaviours, drawing from 23 studies that targeted 12 distinct household-related behaviours. Our findings indicate that commitment-based interventions were the most prevalent and effective, demonstrating significant increases in pro-environmental behaviours across various household contexts. Specifically, 12 of 17 studies employing commitment methods reported significant positive results. Additionally, induced hypocrisy showed effectiveness, particularly in reducing food waste, whereas a framing technique aimed at promoting the uptake of paperless billing was not effective. Overall, cognitive dissonance-based interventions were found to increase household pro-environmental behaviour significantly. This review highlights the strength of cognitive dissonance interventions in bridging the attitude-behaviour gap commonly observed in environmental psychology. Notably, commitment-based strategies have shown versatility and effectiveness in the public arena, significantly promoting a variety of pro-environmental behaviours. The current research was constrained by limitations, including inconsistent language and reporting methods, as well as variability in intervention descriptions, demographic details, and effect sizes. Furthermore, the focus on research conducted in Global North countries underscores the need for future studies to include Global South populations and to perform thorough demographic analyses. Addressing these issues will ensure a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of cognitive dissonance interventions across various groups.