Beyond the Intention–Behaviour Mythology

Davies, Janette, Gordon R. Foxall, and John Pallister. 2002. “Beyond the Intention–Behaviour Mythology.” Marketing Theory 2 (1) (March 1): 29 -113. doi:10.1177/1470593102002001645.

This paper is a lengthy critique of studies and theories that have been fundamental in formulating policy for recycling programs throughout Britain. The models critiqued were the Theory of Reasoned Action, and the Theory of Planned Behavior. These two theories have been used to predict consumer behavior for decades. One of the methods used to make this critique is an empirical investigation of consumer recycling habits.

The methodology consisted of a self administered mail survey followed by independent observation. The survey was to measure demographics, previous experience and other antecedents.

The empirical evidence concerning normative influences and recycling behavior is contradictory. The majority of those who claimed to be recycling were not observed using the curbside recycling during the term of the study.

One point that keeps coming to the front is the infinite number of contexts and variables that can be used to determine recycling behavior. Because of this, it is possible to create an infinite number of studies. It is not the factor that influences behavior, It is the context the factor arises in that shapes the behavior.

Other findings suggest that there is an assumption that attitudes play an important role in influencing behavior. However, it does not necessarily follow that the presence of one attitude sympathetic to recycling would equate with another attitude that is sympathetic also.

Social, Cultural and Structural Influences on Household Waste Recycling

Martin, M., I.D. Williams, and M. Clark. 2006. “Social, Cultural and Structural Influences on Household Waste Recycling: A Case Study.” Resources, Conservation & Recycling 48 (4) (October): 357-395. doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2005.09.005.

This is a case study about how effective the methodologies used were in determining how and why recycling is practiced in the subject study.

The original study consisted of a self-administered questionnaire administered to 360 households randomly selected from voter registration records in Burnley Borough. The Asian-British population was surveyed through a group interviews.

The case study supported previous findings such as households were overwhelmingly in favor of recycling, although the amounts recycled were unclear. It was clear in this study, as with other studies elsewhere and throughout the past, that convenience and storage space were major factors in influencing recycling behavior. Other supported findings were that lower income and apartments or flats were also predictors of lower or no participation in recycling.

Another finding is the general dissatisfaction with the way the borough was handling the curbside pickup method, specifically how often the recyclables were collected and the preference for wheeled bins as opposed to bags. In addition, there is a desire to extend the “garden waste” service to include kitchen scraps and compost.

Overall, the Asian-British population were not significantly different in their recycling behavior from those in the rest of the country. In short, ethnicity didn’t make as much of a difference as poverty.

The Impact of Transient Populations on Recycling Behaviour

Timlett, R.E., and I.D. Williams. 2009. “The Impact of Transient Populations on Recycling Behaviour in a Densely Populated Urban Environment.” Resources, Conservation & Recycling 53 (9) (July): 498-506. doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2009.03.010.

The meaning of “transient” in this study is different than what we might think. Here “transient” means a population that moves frequently from residence to residence. It does NOT mean indigent. This study is on how transient populations might impact recycling in densely populated areas. It also comes from the United Kingdom.

In Portsmouth, a good portion of the households are quite transient for a variety of reasons from a high student and military population to unstable socio-economic pressures. Transience makes measuring a population such as this difficult. The usual method of measurement is by address instead of the individual or family.

What came from this is that longer term residents had the highest amount of recycling behavior because they are settled and have a sense of ownership whether they own or rent. Shorter term residents and the newly arrived had a lower recycling rate partly because they were less invested in the neighborhood, but mostly because they didn’t know their way around the rules and expectations and because they didn’t have enough bins or they had gone missing.

This is portion of the population that is easily overlooked. The United States is famously mobile, and so that is a necessary measurement. However, this aspect will not be measured during this study.

Schemes in the United Kingdom Collecting Plastic Bottles for Recycling

Simmons, A. J., L. M. Harrison, and D. N. Smith. 1999. A Survey of Schemes in the United Kingdom Collecting Plastic Bottles for Recycling. Resources, Conservation & Recycling 25, no. 1 (January): 17.

This is also a study that addresses recycling policies such as curbside pickup and drop-off recycling, however this deals only with recycling plastic bottles in the United Kingdom. It is also different in that it is original research, as opposed to using other material.

The first thing outlined is the history of mandatory recycling in the United Kingdom, including the laws that were current at the time of the study. This article is over ten years old, and yet recycling had already been mandatory for five years. This is important because it has only been recently that any mandatory recycling has been implemented in the United States and is very sporadic and the exception rather than the rule.

The next thing addressed is the definition of the plastics used and why they differ from each other. There is even a definition of the different types of bins used in curbside pickup. These categories are part of the analysis.

Data was gathered primarily through surveys administered to the authorities in the towns throughout the U.K. but not to individual households. There were also certain demographics (such as income) as well as the overall amounts of recovered plastic and how much of each type. These are easily available from the appropriate government authorities.