ORIGINAL RESEARCH published: 08 February 2021 doi: 10.3389/fcomm.2020.610186 Informational Nudges to Encourage Pro-environmental Behavior: Examining Differences in Message Framing and Human Interaction Katherine M. Nelson 1*, Mirja Kristina Bauer 2 and Stefan Partelow 1 1Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Bremen, Germany, 2Department of Biology/Chemistry, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany Two natural field experiments were implemented to examine the influence of framing effects on environmental behavior. The first study examined plastic bag use at a convenience store using low cost nudges: an informational message on a sign and interpersonal communication at check-out. We employed a 3 × 2 treatment design (positive message vs. negative message vs. no sign; each paired with both asking for bag vs. not asking for bag) and report the observed plastic bag use behavior. A second Edited by: study was conducted using a pre-snorkel briefing with two message frames–positive, Irena Knezevic, negative, and no briefing (control). Environmentally damaging snorkel behavior was Carleton University, Canada anonymously observed and recorded. Both experiments show the same general Reviewed by: fi Emma Frances Bloomfield, result: a signi cant and positive difference between subjects that were exposed to an University of Nevada, Las Vegas, intervention compared to those in the control conditions. However, we do not find United States significant differences in observed environmental behavior between the negative and Arren Mendezona Allegretti, Santa Clara University, United States positive framing. *Correspondence: Keywords: environmental communication, behavioral experiment, natural field experiment, nudges, environment, Katherine Nelson conservation
[email protected] Specialty section: INTRODUCTION This article was submitted to ’ Science and Environmental Ecosystems and natural resources are humankind s basis of life, but are generally facing pollution, Communication, degradation and overexploitation (Dwyer et al., 1993; Osbaldiston and Schott, 2012).