Data from: Changing culture through pro-environmental messaging on digital signs: A longitudinal field study
Data files
Aug 21, 2024 version files 82.04 KB
Abstract
Effective public messaging is critical to creating a more sustainable and resilient culture. The explosion of social media has concurrently enhanced information access while often reinforcing pre-existing viewpoints and norms. Digital signage is more primitive, but is “in your face in your space” in a way that has the potential to affect a broader local audience. Environmental Dashboard (ED) is a communications platform and set of content applications that combines information on current environmental conditions, real-time resource consumption, positive actions being taken by community members, and a community calendar. Prior research demonstrates that exposure to individual ED applications in controlled settings increases positive social norms for and concern about environmental issues, emotional connection to resource consumption, systems thinking skills, and motivation to act. We conducted a longitudinal field study to assess whether ED content delivered via digital signs installed in public locations would advance psychological dimensions of sustainability and resilience within a community. Participants (N = 174) completed surveys in six designated signage locations prior to installation of signs and following two years of continuous exposure (N= 133). We observed: increases in pro-environmental social norms among people of color (a demographic emphasized); enhanced awareness of and sense of connection with the local community and ecology; increased awareness of electricity conservation; increased awareness of youth engagement (another demographic emphasized). These findings support the hypothesis that content on digital signs can be used to strengthen pro-environmental and pro-community norms and attitudes.
README: Changing culture through pro-environmental messaging on digital signs: A longitudinal field study
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.3n5tb2rs6
Environmental Dashboard (ED) is a communications platform and set of content applications that combines information on current environmental conditions, real-time resource consumption, positive actions being taken by community members, and a community calendar. Prior research demonstrated that exposure to individual ED applications in controlled settings increases positive social norms for and concern about environmental issues, emotional connection to resource consumption, systems thinking skills, and motivation to act. We conducted a longitudinal field study to assess whether ED content delivered via digital signs installed in public locations would advance psychological dimensions of sustainability and resilience within a community.
The community dashboards that are generated with ED technology use a variety of communications conduits including digital signage, phone apps, and content embedded on websites. In this field study, we evaluated the combined impact of four distinct ED applications displayed in sequence on digital signage: Building Dashboard, Citywide Dashboard, Community Voices and Community Calendar. These applications and prior research on the effects of each are described below. Online versions of the applications can be viewed through several websites (e.g. www.environmentaldashboard.org, www.midtowncleveland.org/events/).
We sought to address three major research questions in this research:
1. Were changes in pro-environmental and pro-social norms and thought evident after the installation of digital signs with content designed to accomplish these changes?
2. If so, what evidence exists that these changes resulted from content delivered via digital signs?
3. Did changes differ by race?
This study deployed a between-subjects longitudinal design. Participants completed surveys in six designated signage locations prior to installation of signs (Time 1) and following two years of continuous exposure (Time 2). Data was not matched between Time and Time 2.
Measures included multiple questions that assessed each of the following: Salience of concepts presented on the screens, norm perceptions, positive community perceptions, awareness of youth engagement on environmental issues, water and electricity conservation, and awareness of local systems. These items were by and large developed specifically for this study. The full survey is available in pdf form as a supplement.
We observed: increases in pro-environmental social norms among people of color (a demographic emphasized); enhanced awareness of and sense of connection with the local community and ecology; increased awareness of electricity conservation; increased awareness of youth engagement (another demographic emphasized).
Description of the data and file structure
The data file was created in SPSS but exported to a CSV file to make it accessible to those without an SPSS license. Each row corresponds to a single participant. Missing data is indicated with a blank field. Metadata detailing the meaning of each variable and value labels is available in the CSV file “MetadataforChangingCultureThroughPro-environmentalMessagingonDigitalSigns” and can be found below. A copy of the survey used to collect data can be found in the file “SurveyforMetadataforChangingCultureThroughPro-environmentalMessagingonDigitalSigns”.
Metadata: Variable names and labels
| Variable Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Variable | Position | Label |
| Time | 1 | Time |
| Location | 2 | Where were you invited to complete this survey? |
| GenBin | 3 | Gender (Binary) |
| RaceBinary | 4 | Race (Binary) |
| TenureBinary | 5 | Tenure (Binary) |
| CVA_Avg | 6 | Community Voices Salience Average (average of CVA variables) |
| Norm_Avg | 7 | Norm Average (Average of Norm variables) |
| PCP_Avg | 8 | Positive Community Perceptions Average (Average of PCP variables) |
| Youth_Av | 9 | Average of YouthAware, YouthInfluence |
| CWD_Avg | 10 | Citywide Dashboard Salience (Average of CWD variables) |
| Wat_Avg | 11 | Water conservation & impact awareness (Average of WEAware_WaterConserve, WEAware_WaterImpact) |
| Elec_Avg | 12 | Electricity conservation & impact awareness (Average of WEAware_ElecConserve, WEAware_ElecImpact) |
| Sys_Avg | 13 | Awareness of Local Systems (Average of Sys variables) |
| FreqLook | 14 | Sum frequency looking at screens (freq_look1 - 8) |
| sec_look | 15 | How many seconds looking at screen? |
| PCP_NormPercieve | 16 | Agree? Other people in Oberlin are doing things to make the environment and community in Oberlin better. |
| PCP_BetterFuture | 17 | Agree? I think the community and environment in Oberlin will be better in the future. |
| PCP_SelfEffic | 18 | Agree? I can do things to make the environment and community in Oberlin better. |
| PCP_BuildHeritage | 19 | Agree? We can build on Oberlin's past history to improve the community and environment. |
| PCP_NaturalOberlin | 20 | Agree? Oberlin has lots of natural beauty. |
| PCP_NextGen | 21 | Agree? I know what youth are doing to improve environment and community. |
| PCP_Downtown | 22 | Agree? I choose to purchase things from local businesses rather than from other sources |
| Norm_Downtown | 23 | Committed to env? Oberlin businesses |
| Norm_NextGen | 24 | Committed to env? Youth |
| Norm_Adults | 25 | Committed to env? Adults |
| Norm_Schools | 26 | Committed to env? The public schools |
| Norm_Friends | 27 | Committed to env? Your friends |
| Norm_Neighbors1 | 28 | Committed to env? Your neighbors |
| Norm_CityWork | 29 | Committed to env? City workers |
| Norm_NonProfit | 30 | Committed to env? People working for community organizations |
| Norm_College | 31 | Committed to env? Oberlin College |
| Norm_City | 32 | Committed to env? The City of Oberlin |
| CVA_Heritage | 33 | Often think about? Oberlin’s history |
| CVA_NextGen | 34 | Often think about? Oberlin’s youth |
| CVA_Downtown | 35 | Often think about? Oberlin’s businesses |
| CVA_NaturalO | 36 | Often think about? Oberlin’s natural spaces |
| CVA_Neighbors | 37 | Often think about? Your neighborhood |
| CWD_stream | 38 | How much do you think about the water and living things in Plum Creek (the stream in Oberlin)? |
| CWD_wateruse | 39 | Do you think about the amount of water the town of Oberlin uses? |
| CWD_watersource | 40 | Do you think about where the water you use comes from? |
| CWD_elecuse | 41 | Do you think about the amount of electricity the town of Oberlin uses? |
| CWD_elecsource | 42 | Do you think about where the electricity you use comes from? |
| Sys_EconOthers | 43 | When you spend money in Oberlin, how much does it affect other people in Oberlin? |
| Sys_EconYou | 44 | When other people spend money in Oberlin, how much does it affect you? |
| Sys_CitizenOthers | 45 | When you are a good citizen, how much does it affect other people? |
| Sys_CitizenYou | 46 | When other people are good citizens, how much does it affect you? |
| Sys_NatYou | 47 | When other people take care of nature in Oberlin, how much does it affect you? |
| Sys_NatOthers | 48 | When you take care of nature in Oberlin, how much does it affect other people? |
| YouthAware | 49 | How aware are you about what youth think about environmental issues? |
| YouthInfluence | 50 | How influenced are you by what youth think about environmental issues? |
| WEAware_WaterConserve | 51 | How much do you try to use less water? |
| WEAware_WaterImpact | 52 | When you use water, does it affect the environment? |
| WEAware_ElecConserve | 53 | How much do you try to use less electricity? |
| WEAware_ElecImpact | 54 | When you use electricity, does it affect the environment? |
| freq_look_1 | 55 | How often see screen? Slow Train |
| freq_look_2 | 56 | How often see screen? Oberlin Community Services |
| freq_look_3 | 57 | How often see screen? Kendal at Oberlin? |
| freq_look_4 | 58 | How often see screen? Ben Franklin |
| freq_look_5 | 59 | How often see screen? OECC |
| freq_look_6 | 60 | How often see screen? Oberlin Cable Coop/Oberlin Business Partnership |
| freq_look_7 | 61 | How often see screen? Oberlin Inn/Gateway Building |
| freq_look_8 | 62 | How often see screen? Oberlin Public Library |
Metadata: Value labels
| Variable Values | ||
|---|---|---|
| Value | Label | |
| Time | 1 | 2014 |
| 2 | 2016 | |
| Location | 1 | Slow Train |
| 2 | Oberlin Community Services | |
| 3 | Kendal at Oberlin | |
| 4 | Ben Franklin | |
| 5 | OECC | |
| 6 | Oberlin Cable Coop/Oberlin Business Partnership | |
| 7 | Oberlin Inn/Gateway Building | |
| 8 | Oberlin Public Library | |
| GenBin | 1 | Male |
| 2 | Female | |
| RaceBinary | 0 | POC |
| 1 | White | |
| TenureBinary | 0 | 10 Years or Less |
| 1 | 10 Years or More | |
| sec_look | 1 | Less than 1 second |
| 2 | 1-2 seconds | |
| 3 | 3-5 seconds | |
| 4 | 5-15 seconds | |
| 5 | 15-30 seconds | |
| 6 | 30-60 seconds | |
| 7 | more than a minute | |
| PCP_NormPercieve | 1 | Strongly Disagree |
| 2 | Disagree | |
| 3 | Somewhat Disagree | |
| 4 | Somewhat Agree | |
| 5 | Agree | |
| 6 | Strongly Agree | |
| PCP_BetterFuture | 1 | Strongly Disagree |
| 2 | Disagree | |
| 3 | Somewhat Disagree | |
| 4 | Somewhat Agree | |
| 5 | Agree | |
| 6 | Strongly Agree | |
| PCP_SelfEffic | 1 | Strongly Disagree |
| 2 | Disagree | |
| 3 | Somewhat Disagree | |
| 4 | Somewhat Agree | |
| 5 | Agree | |
| 6 | Strongly Agree | |
| PCP_BuildHeritage | 1 | Strongly Disagree |
| 2 | Disagree | |
| 3 | Somewhat Disagree | |
| 4 | Somewhat Agree | |
| 5 | Agree | |
| 6 | Strongly Agree | |
| PCP_NaturalOberlin | 1 | Strongly Disagree |
| 2 | Disagree | |
| 3 | Somewhat Disagree | |
| 4 | Somewhat Agree | |
| 5 | Agree | |
| 6 | Strongly Agree | |
| PCP_NextGen | 1 | Strongly Disagree |
| 2 | Disagree | |
| 3 | Somewhat Disagree | |
| 4 | Somewhat Agree | |
| 5 | Agree | |
| 6 | Strongly Agree | |
| PCP_Downtown | 1 | Strongly Disagree |
| 2 | Disagree | |
| 3 | Somewhat Disagree | |
| 4 | Somewhat Agree | |
| 5 | Agree | |
| 6 | Strongly Agree | |
| Norm_Downtown | 1 | Not at all committed |
| 6 | Very committed | |
| Norm_NextGen | 1 | Not at all committed |
| 6 | Very committed | |
| Norm_Adults | 1 | Not at all committed |
| 6 | Very committed | |
| Norm_Schools | 1 | Not at all committed |
| 6 | Very committed | |
| Norm_Friends | 1 | Not at all committed |
| 6 | Very committed | |
| Norm_Neighbors1 | 1 | Not at all committed |
| 6 | Very committed | |
| Norm_CityWork | 1 | Not at all committed |
| 6 | Very committed | |
| Norm_NonProfit | 1 | Not at all committed |
| 6 | Very committed | |
| Norm_College | 1 | Not at all committed |
| 6 | Very committed | |
| Norm_City | 1 | Not at all committed |
| 6 | Very committed | |
| CVA_Heritage | 1 | Never |
| 2 | Less than Once a Month | |
| 3 | One a Month | |
| 4 | 2-3 Times a Month | |
| 5 | Once a Week | |
| 6 | 2-3 Times a Week | |
| 7 | Daily | |
| CVA_NextGen | 1 | Never |
| 2 | Less than Once a Month | |
| 3 | One a Month | |
| 4 | 2-3 Times a Month | |
| 5 | Once a Week | |
| 6 | 2-3 Times a Week | |
| 7 | Daily | |
| CVA_Downtown | 1 | Never |
| 2 | Less than Once a Month | |
| 3 | One a Month | |
| 4 | 2-3 Times a Month | |
| 5 | Once a Week | |
| 6 | 2-3 Times a Week | |
| 7 | Daily | |
| CVA_NaturalO | 1 | Never |
| 2 | Less than Once a Month | |
| 3 | One a Month | |
| 4 | 2-3 Times a Month | |
| 5 | Once a Week | |
| 6 | 2-3 Times a Week | |
| 7 | Daily | |
| CVA_Neighbors | 1 | Never |
| 2 | Less than Once a Month | |
| 3 | One a Month | |
| 4 | 2-3 Times a Month | |
| 5 | Once a Week | |
| 6 | 2-3 Times a Week | |
| 7 | Daily | |
| CWD_stream | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| CWD_wateruse | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| CWD_watersource | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| CWD_elecuse | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| CWD_elecsource | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| Sys_EconOthers | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| Sys_EconYou | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| Sys_CitizenOthers | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| Sys_CitizenYou | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| Sys_NatYou | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| Sys_NatOthers | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| YouthAware | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| YouthInfluence | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| WEAware_WaterConserve | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| WEAware_WaterImpact | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| WEAware_ElecConserve | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount | |
| WEAware_ElecImpact | 1 | Not at all |
| 6 | A large amount |
Methods
At Time 1, before screens were installed and Time 2, two years after screens were installed, participants (Total N = 307) were recruited from the locations in the community where digital signs were to be installed. Procedures were identical at Time 1 and Time 2. Researchers stationed themselves in the same future (Time 1) or current (Time 2) screen installation locations. Participants took an online survey on laptops provided by the researchers. At the beginning of the survey, all participants certified that they were at least 18 years old and provided informed consent.
In addition to basic demographic information, the survey measured attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that we hypothesized would be influenced by the content of the digital signage. The full Time 1 and Time 2 surveys were identical except for two questions that measured frequency and length of exposure to screens. Measures included multiple questions that assessed the following: Salience of concepts presented on the screens, norm perceptions, positive community perceptions, awareness of youth engagement on environmental issues, water and electricity conservation, and awareness of local systems.
After confirmatory factor analysis, we combined individual questions into scales representing the constructs listed above (described in the csv file “MetadataforChangingCultureThroughPro-environmentalMessagingonDigitalSigns".