Pro-environmental Behavioral Changes Through Science Communication in the Digital and Social Media Ecosystem: The Effects of Clube da Caçamba—UEL Project
摘要
Environmental protection is examined through behavior analysis by studying behavioral contingencies and cultural practices. Nevertheless, the lack of dissemination of scientific knowledge outside the academic environment makes it challenging to incorporate these practices in the population’s daily lives. Through the digital and social media ecosystem, behavior analysts may play a growing role in public science communication, modifying verbal and nonverbal behaviors of the population. We investigated whether verbal pro-environmental behavior was, to some extent, influenced or changed by exposure to content published on the Instagram page of Clube da Caçamba—UEL. Specifically, we evaluated the effect of pro-environmental posts on the Clube da Caçamba—UEL Instagram page on the verbal behavior of its followers. We observed changes in the verbal behavior of followers after the posts; reports from questionnaires and interviews also indicated the maintenance and strengthening of nonverbal pro-environmental behaviors. Furthermore, the research identified the posts as reinforcers for the existing pro-environmental behaviors of the followers. We concluded that the results support the notion that the Clube da Caçamba—UEL project can be characterized as a metacontingency, as an important behavioral technology for disseminating scientific knowledge, and as a model of behavioral intervention at a cultural level.