A Towel Less: Social Norms Enhance Pro-Environmental Behavior in Hotels

Abstract

Previous research has shown that normative appeals to engage in environmentally friendly behavior were most effective when they were accompanied by a provincial norm (e.g., when norms matched individuals’ immediate situational circumstances). Analyzing hotel guests’ towel-use during their stay, the current study tests whether messages employing provincial norms were more effective in reducing towel-use than standard environmental messages. In line with previous findings, guests of two hotels used significantly fewer towels when provincial normative appeals—rather than standard environmental messages—were communicated. These findings corroborate to the body of research demonstrating the power of social norms on environmental behavior.

Keywords:

• environmental behavior
• normative messages
• social norms

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are particularly grateful to the management and staff of the two hotels who helped us collect the data. Their cooperation, openness, and generosity were pivotal to the realization of this research.