How do other professionals view strategies for behavior change? 

    I’ve been thinking a lot this past week about the "art" of behavior change. It came to my mind as I 

listened to a researcher question the ability of communications professionals to interpret 

hard science for the rest of us. “Cut out the middle man,” the researcher said. “The best way to ensure that your message isn’t misinterpreted is to deliver it directly to your audience yourself.” This advice 

was offered at the close of a dense lecture, where statistical interpretations were offered at the speed 

of light. The goal of this researcher was to shed light on the impacts of climate change, and help policy makers at all levels of government. The art of behavior change came to my mind again as I listened to the director of an environmental non-profit talk about their plans to reduce the spread of non-native invasive plant species. “If we can get more information directly to the sellers of invasive plants used for landscaping, then we can tackle this issue at one of the sources,” the executive director said. 

    It’s true that the basic environmental education model (proposed by Ramsey & Rickson in 1977) suggests that by increasing knowledge, we make people more aware of environmental issues and cause them to become more concerned. By being more aware and concerned, people become more likely to act in environmentally responsible ways (DeYoung, 2016).  Thirty years after the introduction of basic model, environmental educators have a greater appreciation for the complexity of behavior change and its motivators, which extend beyond simple awareness of an issue. 

    To many people, I think the concept of behavior change (through communication 

and education) is as simple as being an energetic speaker or producing a flashy 

pamphlet. In reality, the process of behavior change is a much more delicate process that involves 

knowing your audience and relying upon them to aide you in identifying what matters and motivates them. Future colleagues may not recognize that behavior change is an "art" and that requires collaboration between communicators/educators and their audience. As students of environmental behavior, our job may be not only to foster environmentally responsible behaviors among communities, but to foster awareness among our colleagues of the complexities and collaborative nature of behavior change, as well.