Climate change mitigation within the Campbell paradigm
New publication!
Kaiser, F. G. (2021). Climate change mitigation within the Campbell paradigm: Doing the right thing for a reason and against all odds. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 42, 70-75.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.03.024
Abstract:
The fact that a behavior can be instrumental for multiple goals does not logically entail that people are typically propelled into action for multiple reasons. On the contrary, goal-directed behavior in the real world is, in a given instance, aimed at one focal goal. In this article, I present the Campbell paradigm, in which a particular behavior is controlled by a single reason or goal. To identify the very reason (i.e. the focal goal behind a goal-directed behavior) and its motivating force, psychologists need to consider behavior-specific costs and whether other behaviors that are also instrumental for attaining the specific goal are realized as well. I situate my presentation in the context of climate change mitigation.
Highlights:
• To fully grasp a behavior, all goals for which it is instrumental must be considered.
• In the Campbell paradigm, actual behavior is aimed toward one focal goal at a time.
• The paradigm requires that the commitment to a goal offsets the costs of a behavior.
• Commitment shows in the varied and variedly taxing behaviors people engage in.
• People’s goal striving commitment is equated with the strength of their attitudes.