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日期：2022-04-29 10:12

ENST20001 Human Behaviour and Environment

Assignment 2: Assessing factors that influence environmental action

Due Date: 11pm Sunday May 15, 2022

Word limit: 1500 words (+/-10%) excluding reference list, interviewee quotes, coding table and transcripts of

interviews and field notes

Submission: Electronic copy submitted online through LMS (in the assessment section)

Assessment weighting: 35% of final grade

Late penalty: 5% per day

Objective

The objective of this assignment is to explore the relative importance of contextual and attitudinal factors in shaping

environmentally significant behaviour.

It responds in part to Stern (2000)’s assertion that: “The attitude-behaviour relationship is strongest when

contextual factors are neutral and approaches zero when contextual factors are strongly positive or negative,

effectively compelling or prohibiting the behaviour in question” (Stern 2000, p415).

Learning outcomes

Through completing this assignment, you will develop:

- a deeper understanding of theories of human-environment action and how these apply to issues of interest

to you

- a better understanding of why people do and do not take environmental action

- basic research skills for understanding human-environment interactions, including:

o introductory level skills in qualitative data collection and analysis

o skills for reporting social scientific information and applying this to questions about human-

environment interactions

Task

In this project you will research how attitudes and contextual factors shape the action or inaction of a small number

of people on an environmental issue. Through an interview and observation of one case (e.g. person or household),

you will undertake a qualitative exploration of Stern’s (2000) hypothesis regarding the influence of contextual and

attitudinal factors on behaviour.

You will answer the general research question:

How important are contextual and attitudinal factors in shaping a particular environmental behaviour?

Further advice on this assignment is provided on pages 3-6.

Assessment criteria

Read through these criteria before preparing your report since you will be assessed against these:

Clear argument and

effective use of

evidence (25%)

States the research question and aim clearly (and in line with assignment instructions)

Explains the relevance of that research question to the environment or species selected

Expresses a clear argument throughout the paper in response to the stated research question

Defends the argument effectively with evidence from academic publications and empirical

observation

Selects theory and past research that is relevant to the aim and topic, and explains how it is

relevant

Explains implications of methods (selection of participant, design of questions, analysis of

data) for achieving the aim

Organises and explains data analysis in relation to the stated aim and research question

Develops conclusions that directly relate to the stated research question and are based on

the findings presented

Understanding of

theory (30%)

Defines and explains all key terms or with explicit reference to subject readings

Demonstrates breadth of understanding of theory that is appropriate to the aim (i.e. covers

all necessary concepts necessary to the aim, and irrelevant concepts are not included)

Demonstrates evidence of broad reading, drawing on multiple sources including required

subject readings and academic articles reporting relevant empirical studies

Explains relevance and quality of any empirical research through brief account of the aim,

methods, and results of that work

Synthesises knowledge from different published sources (e.g. organising, comparing,

criticising)

Proposes hypotheses or expectations of findings that are plausible based on analysis theory

and empirical studies described

Interprets data with correct reference to theory, showing where this confirms, extends or

challenges the concepts in published literature

Understanding and

appropriate

application of basic

social science methods

(25%)

Describes methods comprehensively yet succinctly

Conducts data collection in a way that allows insights to participant’s perspective and is

consistent with assignment requirements, as evidenced by interview transcript [and field

notes – Research Report 2 only]

Analyses interview with appropriate attention to the research question, theory, and

sensitivity to language, behaviour and context of the participant, as evidenced by results

section and coding table

Selects appropriate quotes from interview transcript [and field notes in Research Report 2

only] to defend interpretations, and presents these appropriately (contextualised, explained)

Evaluates strengths and weaknesses of methods used in the study and draws appropriate

conclusions (i.e. not results are not generalised inappropriately, causal relationships are not

claimed where these cannot be defended).

Effective scientific

writing (20%)

Structures the report clearly, with appropriate headings and subheadings

Expresses ideas clearly with logical flow of well-structured paragraphs, professional language,

with correct spelling and grammar.

Complies with word limits as set for the assignment

Attributes and cites sources correctly and in APA style (both intext and in reference list). Note

that failure to acknowledge sources will be penalised in line with University academic honesty

processes.

Advice on completing this assignment

1 Preparing for data collection

1.1 Set topic and research question/s

Choose one topic for your research. This should be an environmental behaviour (action). Examples of

environmentally significant behaviours include specific transport choices, recycling, growing vegetables at home,

composting, and installation of solar panels, attending an environmental protest, using products made from wildlife,

signing a petition or voting for a particular issue.

You do not have to choose one of these examples but can select a behavior that is of interest to you, however in

selecting that behaviour please consider:

whether it is a ‘single, indivisible’ behaviour with a clear link to environmental impact (see Topic 6 lectures)

whether it is practical and ethical to observe the behaviour (see Topic 6.7 – reflection questions for some

questions to help you consider this)

whether there is suitable background research on the behaviour (Some behaviours are very well researched,

others not so. You will find clues on this in readings for Topic 6-9. You will also find guidance on researching

background literature in the Assessment Module in Canvas)

Determine the research question you will answer through your research, following the template provided on page 1

and specifying the behaviour you have chosen to study: How important are contextual and attitudinal factors in

shaping [insert a particular environmental behaviour]?

1.2 Search for and read background information

Before you start, ensure you understand the theory and past research that informs the question you will investigate.

Ensure you have read the required readings for Topics 5-9, which cover key general theories on

environmental behaviour.

Search for and read academic research on similar questions to the one you will address. For example, if your

research question is concerned with recycling, you will find research examining factors that encourage or

discourage recycling behaviour. Particularly search for academic, empirical research on this topic (Research

that is published in a peer reviewed journal and was based on observation - perhaps through interviews,

surveys or document analysis - of relevant attitudes and behaviour). See guidance on this in the Assessment

Module ‘Researching Published Literature on your Topic’.

1.3 Preparing for the data collection

You need to interview and observe relevant behaviour or one person. Interview and observations can be conducted

face-to-face or via video conference apps if that is feasible for the relevant behaviour. Interviews must be

transcribed, and observations must be documented in field notes. Support for planning this is briefly outlined below,

and dealt with in more detail across:

reading and reflection activity 6.3 in Canvas

tutorial activities in Week 2 and 8

online video (research skills) 2.5 and 6.10

Plan your observations: Your interview and observations should allow you to understand the links between the key

theories and the topic you are exploring. Plan what you will observe and ask to get this information. Keep in mind

that observations and interviews can provide very different kinds of information. Some possible focuses for

observation and interview are provided below. These are not intended to be comprehensive. You should select,

adapt and add to these to suit your topic. As you do so, consider the ethical issues that might arise through

observations. Make sure you plan your topic and observations to avoid discomfort for participants and protect their

confidentiality. Once you have planned your approach, practice them with a friend or someone from the class.

Potential approaches for observing behaviour:

Ask the participant to “show me how you do [a particular behaviour]”

Ask permission to observe the participant while they undertake a behaviour

Ask permission to take photographs of relevant behaviour settings (see example in required reading 6.3) –

make sure you don’t include any identifying information

Ask permission to view documents that are relevant to the behaviour – e.g. energy use bills or food receipts

– make sure you don’t include any identifying information