Communicating Science: Using Temporally Oriented Social Science Models and Audience Segmentation to Influence Environmental Behaviors Professor Bret Shaw

Thomas J. Gardner

Public Information Campaigns

LSC 515

Fall 2011

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Communicating Science:

Using Temporally Oriented Social Science Models and Audience Segmentation

to Influence Environmental Behaviors

Professor Bret Shaw

            Business as usual applies to institutional racism, contaminated drinking water, coal miners health, and lake pollution for at least the last 30 years. But while the “process of change” turn slowly; minimum awareness, knowledge and attitudes have been influenced with temporal dimensions measured by increased media coverage and government responses.

            The same holds true for AIS. Different domains of awareness require different communication theories over a period of time. Instigating this behavior by dividing people into segmented groups does not sound like a court jury of peers. But it cannot be denied that similar segmented relationships exist among boaters, scuba divers, aquarium owners and angler groups.

            The social science models you suggest require that these groups be further divided. Among boaters and anglers, it would appear that those most knowledgeable fall into demographics that suggest they would be most responsive to a marketing plan.  Since innovators are already leading the way through their specific behavior, perhaps they could influence early adopters to clean their boats and trailers of aquatic plants.

            Tailoring messages for each segment to help transition behavior into a conscious habit is very subtle. People will form a habit by weighting the perceived benefits at each stage of change without feeling manipulated by distrustful bureaucrats. The Stages of Change show that many anglers and boaters are past precontemplation and are now contemplating how the action would benefit them personally. According to DNR rep. high volume usage dictates where marketing plan is coordinated.

            According to DNR PowerPoint, almost 100 percent of angler and boater water users leave or launch with aquatic plants and nearly 60 percent kill an invasive fish. This is a tv horror movie scare tactic ready to be used as an incentive for action. Tapping into the emotion of horror piraraha type AIS would tap into a contemplators emotions enough to motivate action. VCR-TV’s with guilt-ridden animations of dead lakes showing individual inaction has caused this aversive event.

            Adopting and maintaining behavior changes should include continuous ongoing congratulations and appreciations because their independent and community lifestyle shift has rewarded the lakes with native fish, cleaner water and clear beaches. Social support  will help lower relapses that can result in repeated beginnings.

            Crafting specific insights for a variety of barriers that may include Hmong and Hispanic anglers will help customize heuristic identification.

Diffusion of innovations is a social science that reinforces peer schemas. Those who embrace changes are the innovators that should serve as role models community social marketing.  This volunteer vanguard of retired anglers and ancestral lake property owners can monitor lakes while posting laws/rules that educate the early majority.

The leaders of the community have most likely done individual research while attending or leading public information events that help further educate him/her while effective persuading the early and late majority. They consciously or unconscious become the credible communicators who can be trusted to offer objective opinions. Their participation will be attached to truthfulness and integrity.

This will help change attitudes about AIS among those contemplating change because of recent laws and environmental consequences. Raising the visibility of those who clean their boats could be pictures on the outside wall of the bait shack or a revolving image on a web page.

Using the same technique to encourage sustainable behavior among laggards appears to be hopeless according to all the readings. But faith in those whose social economic status is reflective of their non-complacence could mean more tickets or deeper threat need to be issued. The ignorance of bible toting hypocrites and low self images have influence that may interest the late majority.