Competitive Development Tools in Identifying Efficient Educational Interventions for Improving Pro-Environmental and Recycling Behavior

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 17; no. 1; p. 156
• Main Authors: Popescu, Sorin, Rusu, Diana, Dragomir, Mihai, Popescu, Daniela, Nedelcu, Șerban
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 24.12.2019; MDPI
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Behavior; Behavior Therapy - education; Behavior Therapy - methods; Conservation of Natural Resources - methods; Consumption; Economic growth; Education; Female; Humans; Low income groups; Male; Middle Aged; Recycling; Recycling - methods; Surveys and Questionnaires; Sustainable development; Teaching - organization & administration; Well being; changing behavior; sustainable wellbeing behavior; behavioral change theories; efficient educational interventions; recycling behavior
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17010156

Daily life in today’s dynamic world requires fast adaptation of people’s behavior to new challenges emerged from environmental, health, urban housing, transportation, etc. problems. A strong and complex tool in changing behaviors, education consumes significant resources and requires time for effective impact. The present study proposes a roadmap, integrating advanced methods for industrial competitive development (QFD) in configuring efficient educational interventions for changing people’s behavior on special thematic areas, such as environment and recycling. A literature review on applicable behavioral theories led to more than 30 behavioral factors (constructs) targetable by education, their specific impact evaluation being the subject of a survey among education professionals. Finally, to reach a mapping of efficient interventions with low costs, high impact and fast results criteria, educational interventions and behavioral factors were correlated by the QFD method on three dimensions addressing: teachers and trainers, contents and tools, respectively the national & institutional level. The current research results are focused particularly on changing recycling behaviors, but the overall concept and methodology can be expanded to incorporate any preoccupation in the areas of environment and health, as long-term drivers of public well-being.