Research by Professor Dominic Abrams, Dr Tim Hopthrow and Dr Fanny Lalot found that using low-cost psychological interventions can improve air quality.
The Week magazine has featured recent Kent Psychology findings, funded by Canterbury City Council following a successful grant bid to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), discovering that low-cost psychological interventions can reduce vehicle engine idling and in turn improve air quality, especially when there is increased traffic volume at railway level crossings.
This research, led by Professor Dominic Abrams, Dr Tim Hopthrow and Dr Fanny Lalot and published by the Journal of Environmental Psychology, is the first of its kind to show that behavioural change induced by persuasive messages translates into observable changes in air quality and pollutant concentration levels.
As a result of the research, Canterbury City Council has installed permanent road signage at the St Dunstan’s, St Stephen’s and Sturry railway level crossings.
Professor Abrams said: ‘People have many creative ideas about how to improve air quality, but how do we know which will work? This research used a scientific method that enabled us to design effective messages to change people’s behaviour, improving the air quality for themselves and others. Just as importantly, we have also discovered types of messages that do not work so well. This approach should also work when planning ways to encourage other behaviours that can improve air quality, health and quality of the environment.’
Read the full piece here.