PSY 250: WORKPLACE LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

1
PSY 250 WORKPLACE LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL
SKILLS

• A closer look at the University of Plymouth
  campus
• Sabine Pahl

2
Outline 4 sessions

• 1) identify key issues Observation methods
• Task explore UoP and observe users -gt
  Presentation 1
• 2) Report your findings in Presentation 1
  Discussion limitations Questionnaire /
  interview methods
• Task investigate user attitudes add to first
  findings?
• 3) Report your findings in Presentation 2 first
  ideas for recommendations, more background Task
  develop set of recommendations
• 4) Presentation 3 recommendations in roleplay
  context

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3
Psychology of Sustainability

• Discussion of recommendations
• Two scenarios
• 1) Group 1 in the user forum for waste
  recycling
• Group rep to briefly present recommendations
  first then role play / debate
• 2) Group 2 in the senior management forum for
  energy
• Group rep to briefly present recommendations
  first then role play / debate

4
Psychology of Sustainability

• Scenarios 1 2
• Distribution of roles
• 5 minutes preparation for roles facilitator,
  and for those who present recommendations
• Presentation of recommendations
• questions discussion focus on which
  recommendations should be implemented / adapted
  and possible problems (groups are ready to add /
  comment / help)
• Final statement each participant summary re
  recommendations by group reps
• Discussion forum (perhaps not solution)

5
Interdisciplinary and Disciplinary Research

• The climate problem is interdisciplinary
• Crosses natural science, social science,
  engineering, public health, etc.
• Contribution of psychology is strongest when
  linked to other disciplines
• Disciplines have complementary insights
• Psychology contributes most where other
  disciplines fail to explain phenomena well
• ..and has least to add when non-psychological
  factors dominate
• But its not easy to know which situation is
  which, so interdisciplinary analysis is essential

lt Stern, 2009
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Some areas where psychology (behavioral sciences)
can contribute

1. Understanding the behaviors that drive climate
   change
2. Intervening to change those behaviors (example
   quickly reducing direct household energy use)
3. Improving public understanding of climate,
   climate change, and climate risk
4. Understanding public support, opposition, and
   acceptance related to policy and technological
   responses to climate change
5. Improving decision making in response to climate
   change

lt Stern, 2009
7
Understandings of climate and climate risk A
major cognitive problem

• Mismatch between climate phenomena and usual ways
  of knowing
• Past experience is misleading about the future
• Information from the senses is misleading
• Multiple hazards, some of them catastrophic
• The probability of each hazard is uncertain
• Long time horizons socioeconomic conditions will
  change before hazards materialise
• Possibility of totally unexpected consequences
• Local effects are especially hard to anticipate
• Use of inappropriate mental models
• Need to rely on trusted information sources

lt Stern, 2009
8
Understanding the behaviors that drive climate
change

• Identifying the most important behaviors
• Government statistics are collected by fuels,
  sectors (industry, transport, residential)
• Behavioral analysis is by actors, actions,
  purposes
• Defined by actors, household energy use is BIG
  In USA, 38 of total energy use (22 in home 16
  in non-business travel)
• Much of this is built into equipment (typically
  gt1/2 the variance in home energy consumption)
• But much is not (same equipment, different use)
• Both adoption and use of equipment are
  behavioral, and need analysis

lt Stern, 2009
9
What can behavioral science add?

• Social marketing insights seem to apply
• Use credible information sources (e.g., word of
  mouth)
• Use multiple communication channels
• Use interpersonal interactions
• Apply psychological principles of message design
• The most effective programs address non-financial
  barriers
• Attracting attention (e.g., social marketing)
• Action-specific information (on what to do and
  expect)
• Convenience (few hurdles for consumers to jump)
• Quality assurance (e.g., certification,
  inspection)
• Incentives are most effective in combination with
  interventions that address other barriers

lt Stern, 2009
10
How to Design Effective Interventions

• Address multiple barriers to behavioral change
  (use multidisciplinary analysis)
• Combine influence factors (information,
  marketing, financial incentives, quality
  assurance, convenience)
• Tailor intervention to suit the target action
• Understand behavior from the users perspective
  and do not presume motives or abilities
• Recognize that behavior is often constrained by
  factors beyond the individuals control (e.g.,
  the practices of repair personnel, manufacturers,
  wholesalers)
• Monitor programs continually to be able to adjust
  them as needed

lt Stern, 2009
11
Psychology of Sustainability

• Guidelines for report PSY250
• Suggested Title
• Recommendations for improving sustainability on
  the UoP campus Focus on
• Four aspects to cover
• 1) Background general background (whats the
  problem?) general environmental psychology
  background - some prior theory and evidence
• 2) Applied to UoP, with evidence
• a) Campus analysis
• b) observations
• c) user views

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Psychology of Sustainability

• Using the evidence to address the following
• Whats the current state of sustainability on the
  UoP campus?
• Summarise what your data say
• 3) Recommendations
• The recommendations should be based on 1) and 2)
  and should consider these questions
• Which aspects can be improved, and how? -gt
  priority list
• How do you think could these improvements be
  implemented? By whom, when? Show some
  understanding of feasibility issues / practical
  application and cost
• How will the public react, can you make any
  predictions, e.g., based on your own research?
  Same for different users?
• What are the expected outcomes? Can you say
  something about how the changes will lead to
  these outcomes?

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Psychology of Sustainability

• 4) Critical evaluation (gaps, how good is the
  evidence, what remains to be done, barriers)
  Conclusion
• Your report should contain tables / pictures /
  lists to illustrate (some of these could be in an
  Appendix). 
• Finally it should be 10 -12 pages, Arial Pt 12,
  double spaced (see general guidelines for layout
  references)
• For a really good mark you need to provide
  evidence of additional research (e.g., changes
  implemented elsewhere, additional psychological
  research)