Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 102513 |
| Journal | Journal of Environmental Economics and Management |
| Volume | 110 |
| Early online date | 12 Aug 2021 |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2021 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
Natural resource management often involves social dilemmas which other-regarding preferences and pro-social behaviour can help overcome. Interventions that induce resource users to consider a perspective broader than their own may help promote pro-social behaviour. Such interventions are often applied in participatory resource management approaches. To the best of our knowledge, nonetheless, no previous study has isolated and assessed the effect of inducing perspective-taking on natural resource users’ prosocial behaviour. In this study, we do so in the context of watershed management. We conducted a lab-in-the-field experiment with downstream farmers in a Peruvian watershed. In the experiment, participants were induced to imagine the perspective of upstream farmers before deciding on a donation that can help the latter improve their well-being without compromising the water supply downstream. We find that inducing perspective-taking increases unilateral prosocial behaviour. This effect cannot fully be explained by the additional information on the social and ecological characteristics of the watershed received during the perspective-taking experience. Rather the effect of the perspective-taking intervention is likely to work by inducing other-regarding preferences. Our results contribute to the study of pro-social behaviour in natural resource management and the ways in which it could be induced by interventions targeting other-regarding preferences.
Keywords
- Environmental policy, Framed field experiment, Natural resource management, Other-regarding preferences, Perspective-taking, Prosocial behaviour, Social dilemmas
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Economics, Econometrics and Finance(all)
- Economics and Econometrics
- Environmental Science(all)
- Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Vol. 110, 102513, 10.2021.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Inducing perspective-taking for prosocial behaviour in natural resource management
AU - Ortiz-Riomalo, Juan Felipe
AU - Koessler, Ann Kathrin
AU - Engel, Stefanie
N1 - Funding information: This work was supported by the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation within the framework of the Alexander von Humboldt-Professorship endowed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Complementary funding was provided by the Ministry for Science and Culture of Lower Saxony (Germany).
PY - 2021/10
Y1 - 2021/10
N2 - Natural resource management often involves social dilemmas which other-regarding preferences and pro-social behaviour can help overcome. Interventions that induce resource users to consider a perspective broader than their own may help promote pro-social behaviour. Such interventions are often applied in participatory resource management approaches. To the best of our knowledge, nonetheless, no previous study has isolated and assessed the effect of inducing perspective-taking on natural resource users’ prosocial behaviour. In this study, we do so in the context of watershed management. We conducted a lab-in-the-field experiment with downstream farmers in a Peruvian watershed. In the experiment, participants were induced to imagine the perspective of upstream farmers before deciding on a donation that can help the latter improve their well-being without compromising the water supply downstream. We find that inducing perspective-taking increases unilateral prosocial behaviour. This effect cannot fully be explained by the additional information on the social and ecological characteristics of the watershed received during the perspective-taking experience. Rather the effect of the perspective-taking intervention is likely to work by inducing other-regarding preferences. Our results contribute to the study of pro-social behaviour in natural resource management and the ways in which it could be induced by interventions targeting other-regarding preferences.
AB - Natural resource management often involves social dilemmas which other-regarding preferences and pro-social behaviour can help overcome. Interventions that induce resource users to consider a perspective broader than their own may help promote pro-social behaviour. Such interventions are often applied in participatory resource management approaches. To the best of our knowledge, nonetheless, no previous study has isolated and assessed the effect of inducing perspective-taking on natural resource users’ prosocial behaviour. In this study, we do so in the context of watershed management. We conducted a lab-in-the-field experiment with downstream farmers in a Peruvian watershed. In the experiment, participants were induced to imagine the perspective of upstream farmers before deciding on a donation that can help the latter improve their well-being without compromising the water supply downstream. We find that inducing perspective-taking increases unilateral prosocial behaviour. This effect cannot fully be explained by the additional information on the social and ecological characteristics of the watershed received during the perspective-taking experience. Rather the effect of the perspective-taking intervention is likely to work by inducing other-regarding preferences. Our results contribute to the study of pro-social behaviour in natural resource management and the ways in which it could be induced by interventions targeting other-regarding preferences.
KW - Environmental policy
KW - Framed field experiment
KW - Natural resource management
KW - Other-regarding preferences
KW - Perspective-taking
KW - Prosocial behaviour
KW - Social dilemmas
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85116744002&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jeem.2021.102513
DO - 10.1016/j.jeem.2021.102513
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85116744002
VL - 110
JO - Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
JF - Journal of Environmental Economics and Management
SN - 0095-0696
M1 - 102513
ER -