Information alone is often not enough to influence a behavior change. Understanding how people actually make decisions is crucial for developing the right message to engage and influence your intended audience. One idea from social science that can help us with that is the Theory of Planned Behavior. In this short concept refresher, Adam Reimer explains how attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control interact to influence decisions, and why this matters for our conservation outreach.
This material is based upon work supported by USDA-NIFA, through the North Central Region SARE program under project numbers ENC20-194 and ENC18-169. USDA is an equal-opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the USDA.
