Reducing wasteful household behaviours: Contributions from psychology and implications for intervention design

In the quest for environmental sustainability, there is a pressing need for improved proenvironmental behaviour at the individual and community level. Achieving any type of behaviour change is rarely easy, however, with habitual behaviours and attitudinal resistance creating significant barriers (Zimbardo and Leippe, 1991). Several psychological models, theories and concepts have been put forward to better understand the behaviour change process and to support policymakers. One notable model is the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of Change (Prochaska and DiClemente, 1983).

The TTM addresses readiness for change and personal barriers to change. it proposes. A taxonomy of five change stages that people move through: ‘pre-contemplation’, ‘contemplation’, ‘planning’, ‘action’ and ‘maintenance’. Each stage is measureable, and each stage is characterized by certain behavioural and psychological processes. Although the TTM has been cited as ‘arguably the dominant model of health behaviour change’ (Armitage, 2009, p195), rarely has it been extended to a pro-environmental behavior change context.

This chapter outlines the concepts of the TTM and its current position within research, examining its usefulness as a tool to assess readiness for change and as a guide for the improved development of large-scale community interventions or public education pro - grammes. The chapter explores how TTM concepts may offer a simple framework and method for understanding and changing attitudes and behaviours around sustainability, illustrating the discussion in the context of domestic food waste: a wasteful behavior with significant environmental impact.