A significant challenge in environmental programs and policies is the lack of a deep understanding of human behaviour. Thus, there is an immense space in which psychology can contribute to the successful transition to a more sustainable world. In this talk, I will demonstrate how psychological insights can be leveraged to design effective behavioural solutions to address sustainability challenges. In a series of experiments, we designed and tested a number of behavioural interventions to increase climate and pro-environmental action. These findings not only provide useful insights on how to courage impactful behaviour change, but also help inform the design and implementation of environmental policy.
Dr. Jiaying Zhao is the Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Sustainability, and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Zhao is also a faculty affiliate with the Center for Effective Global Action at University of California, Berkeley, and an invited researcher at J-PAL at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Zhao a Killam Research Prize recipient and the UBC Sauder Distinguished Scholar. She uses psychological principles to design behavioural solutions to address financial and environmental sustainability challenges.
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