Addressing Inertia in Pro-Environmental Behavior through Nudges: A Review of Existing Literature and a Framework for Future Research

Beermann, V.; Haskamp, T.; Marx C.; Uebernickel, F.


Abstract
To counteract global warming, individuals must adopt pro-environmental behaviors, but many prefer their established behaviors because of inertia. This paper analyzes how we can address the inertia that hinders pro-environmental behavior using digital nudges. Our structured literature review finds 19 out of 20 studies that show how decision information nudges like feedback overcome behavioral inertia. Most of the habitual patterns we identified could be attributed to private household behaviors like inefficient energy or water consumption. We contribute a framework for how the three dimensions of inertia-behavioral, cognitive, and affective inertia-are best each addressed using informational, structural, and assistance nudges, respectively.

Keywords
Green IS; Inertia; Literature Review; Nudging; Pro-Environmental Behavior



Publication type
Research article in proceedings (conference)

Peer reviewed
No

Publication status
Published

Year
2023

Conference
56th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2023

Venue
Hawaii

Book title
Proceedings of the 56th Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences

Editor
Bui, Tung

Start page
751

End page
760

Publisher
IEEE Computer Society

Place
Hawaii

Language
English

ISSN
1530-1605

ISBN
9780998133164

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