Upcycling interventions can scale niche environmentally significant behaviour

Why It Matters

As designers, we can influence consumer behaviour towards more sustainable practices. By identifying key drivers and potential target groups for upcycling, we can create products and systems that encourage material longevity and reduce waste.

Key Finding

The research found that upcycling fosters strong product attachment, and that attitudes and social norms are key drivers. Designers and older individuals are identified as a potential focus for scaling up this practice, with specific interventions proposed.

Key Findings

• Upcycling can lead to high product attachment and longevity.
• Key behavioural factors influencing upcycling intention include attitude and subjective norm.
• Individuals in art and design fields, aged 30 and older, are a potential target group for scaling up upcycling.
• 15 promising design and policy interventions were identified and evaluated for feasibility and impact.

Research Evidence

Aim: What are the key behavioural factors influencing upcycling, and how can design and policy interventions be developed and evaluated to scale up this niche environmentally significant behaviour?

Method: Mixed-methods research combining qualitative interviews, questionnaires, surveys, and a semi-Delphi expert workshop.

Procedure: Conducted interviews to understand current upcycling practices and influencing factors. A short questionnaire explored product attachment. A survey identified key behavioural factors and target demographics. A semi-Delphi method was used to explore and evaluate potential design and policy interventions with experts.

Context: Household upcycling behaviour in the UK.

Design Principle

Design for behaviour change by understanding and influencing user motivations and social contexts.

How to Apply

Identify the psychological and social factors that influence sustainable behaviours within your design context. Develop and test interventions that address these factors, considering both product design and broader system-level changes.

Limitations

The study focused on UK-specific factors and may not be generalizable to all cultural contexts. The semi-Delphi method relies on expert opinion, which can introduce bias.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: This study shows that to get more people to upcycle (turn old things into new, better things), we need to understand why they do it and then create specific plans and designs to encourage them, especially targeting people who already like art and design.

Why This Matters: Understanding user behaviour is crucial for designing products and systems that promote sustainability. This research provides a framework for developing effective interventions to encourage environmentally friendly practices like upcycling.

Critical Thinking: To what extent can design interventions alone drive widespread adoption of upcycling, or are external policy and economic factors more critical?

IA-Ready Paragraph: This research highlights the importance of understanding behavioural drivers for sustainable practices, such as upcycling. By identifying key factors like attitude and subjective norm, and exploring targeted interventions, designers can effectively scale niche environmentally significant behaviours, contributing to reduced waste and extended material lifecycles.

Project Tips

• When researching user behaviour, consider both individual motivations and social influences.
• Think about how design interventions can be supported by policy or community initiatives.

How to Use in IA

• Use this research to justify the need for behaviour-change interventions in your design project.
• Refer to the identified behavioural factors (attitude, subjective norm) when analysing user needs and motivations.

Examiner Tips

• Demonstrate an understanding of how psychological factors influence design adoption.
• Show how your design project addresses broader sustainability goals through user behaviour.

Independent Variable: ["Design and policy interventions","Demographic characteristics (e.g., age, occupation)"]

Dependent Variable: ["Upcycling intention","Upcycling behaviour","Product attachment","Perceived feasibility and impact of interventions"]

Controlled Variables: ["Geographic location (UK)","Socio-economic status (potentially)"]

Strengths

• Utilizes a mixed-methods approach for comprehensive data collection.
• Employs a structured expert consultation method (semi-Delphi) for intervention evaluation.

Critical Questions

• How might cultural differences impact the effectiveness of the identified interventions?
• What are the potential unintended consequences of scaling up upcycling through these interventions?

Extended Essay Application

• Investigate the feasibility of implementing specific upcycling interventions within a local community or organization.
• Analyze the lifecycle impact of upcycled products compared to conventionally produced ones.

Source

Sustainable production and consumption by upcycling : understanding and scaling-up niche environmentally significant behaviour · Nottingham Trent University's Institutional Repository (Nottingham Trent Repository) · 2017