Group Intervention for Goal-Directed Ecological Engagement: Initial Manuscript

Abstract

With the present intervention, we seek to promote individual ecological engagement aimed at reducing one’s negative environmental impact (ecological footprint) or increasing one’s positive impact on societal transformation (ecological handprint). We examined whether a workshop applying goal concretization and action planning techniques to a group setting helps participants achieve their goals and advance in the process of self-regulated behavior change (Bamberg, 2013). Additionally, we investigated the role of social-cognitive and emotional predecessors of ecological engagement based on reasoned action, norm activation, and social identity approaches.Thirty-five people participated each in one of four two-hour workshops, forming an early (experimental) and a late intervention (waiting) group. Three measurements took place, one before the workshops, one between the early and late workshops, and one after the workshops.As expected, goal achievement and implementation intention (i.e., the transition to the most advanced stage of self-regulated behavior change) increased following the workshop, with implementation intention predicting goal achievement. Social norms referring to the workshop group, personal norms, and anger were significant predictors of earlier stage transitions of behavior change (i.e., goal intention and behavioral intention).There is preliminary evidence that this intervention helps individuals achieve their ecological engagement goals by supporting processes of self-regulated behavior change.