Understanding how a commitment-based pledge intervention encourages pro-environmental tourist behaviour

Abstract

Existing research shows that behavioural interventions can trigger pro-environmental behaviour change, but there is a lack of understanding around how these interventions change behaviour. In response to recent research that calls for studies to systematically test links between interventions and the psychological determinants of behaviour, this study 1) develops and tests a pro-environmental behavioural change intervention in the field, and 2) empirically investigates which psychological determinants the intervention triggers, using a survey experiment. Results indicate that the intervention promotes the pro-environmental target behaviour by increasing commitment. Commitment is predicted by beliefs (unaffected by the intervention) and ascription of responsibility (triggered by the intervention). The present study has practical significance by proving the effectiveness of an easily implementable intervention, as well as theoretical significance by providing empirical evidence about the hypothesised connections between interventions and the psychological determinants of behaviour.