Barbecues in the park: adults can still be educated and

Paper plates, beer cans, leftovers – on weekends, parks become garbage dumps. The behavioral economist Matthias Sutter explains why dirt is more likely to land in the meadow than in the trash.

Barbecues in the park:   adults can still be educated and
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  • Page 1 — "Even adults can be educated"
  • Page 2 — "At best you do what you want"
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    Clean! According to ir inhabitants, big German cities are now more ordinary than 2005. This is demonstrated by a study by Humboldt University of Berlin, which deals with trend of littering – waste of Public Space (Association of Municipal Enterprises: Van der Meer et al., 2018, pdf). But with good wear picture seems to change for a short time: where barbecue, partying, and chilling outside are growing, waste heaps grow. The experimental behavioral economist Matthias Sutter explains why this is case in an interview and gives tips on how to change bad habits.

    Online Time: In Germany's parks is again grilled. Accordingly, piles not only pile up in tonnes, but also on meadows and sidewalks. Mr. Sutter, you are a behavioral economist – how do you explain that?

    Matthias Sutter: Basically, people leave ir own rubbish in evening after feast more often than in middle of day when re are still a thousand or people (FehrAdvise: Fehr et al., 2014). Moreover, if public park is completely clean and re is nothing around, hurdle, somewhat throw, is relatively high. But if re are already chairs, grill grates and tetra Paks lying around, it is much smaller. And it's even lower when it gets dark. One begins, Rumzumüllens, ors move; The inhibition threshold decreases.

    Online Time: If you want to keep your park clean, you should contact people who leave waste in a targeted manner?

    Sutter: For cleanliness in public space, it is crucial wher re is such a thing as civil courage. A simple example: in web, someone puts his dirty shoes on seat. In such a case 50 people immediately say "feet down", problem would be solved quickly. If, on or hand, it looks as if y have to stand alone, re is a certain degree of danger of being attacked, and that is why no one prevents filth. So, at best, it is not just one, but an entire group that criticises behavior. Unfortunately, however, in larger groups you can easily face this responsibility, because it is hoped that ors will take initiative (games and Economic behavior: Hillenbrand/Winter, 2018).

    Matthias Sutter is Austrian and economist. He received his doctorate and Habilitation at University of Innsbruck and is now director of Max Planck Institute for Research into community goods in Bonn. As an experimental behavioral economist, he is interested in human behavior. (copyright) Matthias Sutter

    Online Time: The unwashed cups that pile up in kitchen are anor case. The rooms always felt same, while ors put ir cups on counter instead of in dishwasher...

    Sutter: As in park you have to lead by example. Act, don't complain! Mahatma Gandhi describes in a book an impressive scenario: on a peace demonstration with 5,000 people he saw in evening that a lot of rubbish herumlag. Instead of giving orders, he just started picking up garbage. The people who had demonstrated with him did same. If someone precedes a good example, ors prefer to follow than to make beginning. This is true in kitchen and this is true in park.

    Online Time: So a good boss cleans his cup himself?

    Sutter: Definitely. What you expect from ors, you have to afford. And people in a prominent position have a greater influence. That is why we often discuss in public what a politician or a football player "may". More people are looking at what y are doing.

    Date Of Update: 21 May 2018, 12:02
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