Journal of Environmental Law & Litigation : Vol. 24, No. 1, p. 119-164 : Is Religion the Environment’s Last Best Hope? Targeting Change in Individual Behavior Through Personal Norm Activation
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Date
2009
Authors
Johnson, Stephen M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon School of Law
Abstract
This Article explores the important role that religious organizations
have played, and can play, in personal norm activation to influence
change in individuals’ environmentally destructive actions. Part I of
the Article describes the need for regulating or targeting individuals,
in addition to industrial sources, in order to address many of the
remaining significant environmental problems. Part II examines the
advantages and disadvantages of targeting individual actions through
command-and-control regulation, economic-based alternatives, and
information disclosure programs. Part III outlines the concept of
norm activation and details the manner in which information
disclosure programs can be used to activate personal norms to
influence changes in individual behavior. It also identifies some of
the limitations on the use of information disclosure to activate norms
and limitations on the development of effective information
disclosure programs to activate norms. Part IV explores the manner
in which churches and religious organizations, over the past decade,
have, through their statements and actions, activated personal norms
of stewardship and social justice to change individuals’ attitudes and
actions in ways that reduce harm to the environment and public
health. Finally, Part V discusses the ways that the government could
partner with religious organizations to influence changes in
individuals’ environmentally destructive behavior or to implement
programs that encourage individuals to reduce their environmentally
destructive behavior.
Description
46 p.
Keywords
Citation
23 J. ENVTL. L. & LITIG. 119 (2009)