P. Wesley Schultz

Claremont Graduate University

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i-10 index

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Co-Authors

Anna Woodcock

California State University, San Marcos

Mica Estrada

University of California, San Francisco

Paul R. Hernandez

Dalhousie University

Jennifer J. Tabanico

Research for Action

Coral M. Bruni

Claremont Graduate University

Jessica M. Nolan

University of Scranton

Randie C. Chance

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Taciano L. Milfont

University of Waikato

Vı́ctor Corral-Verdugo

Universidad de Sonora

Linda Steg

University of Groningen

Cooperative Institutions

Queensland University of Technology

California State University, San Marcos

Claremont Graduate University

Sapienza University of Rome

University of Groningen

University of Exeter

Stanford University

ORCID

University of British Columbia

Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca Per lo Sviluppo sostenibile

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Research Field

Structural Precursors to Identity Processes

Social Psychology Quarterly (2012)

David M. Merolla Richard T. Serpe Sheldon Stryker P. Wesley Schultz

This research investigates how participation in college-based science-training programs increases student intention to pursue a scientific career. Using identity theory, we delineate three levels of social structure and conceptualize science-training programs as proximate social structures. Results from a sample of 892 undergraduate science students are supportive of identity theory and indicate that participation in proximate social structures leads to increased commitment to a science identity, increased salience of a science identity, and increased intention to pursue a scientific career. This study contributes to the literature on identity theory by demonstrating how participation in proximate social structures can lead to subsequent identity processes, thus refining the understanding of how society shapes the self and clarifying how social positioning affects choices for behavior. Additionally, the conceptualization of proximate social structures provides an avenue for applications of identity theory to investigations of other social interventions as well as mechanisms leading to social inequality.

Salience (neuroscience)

Social identity approach

10.1177/0190272511436352

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Citations (145)

Erratum: Corrigendum: Co-benefits of addressing climate change can motivate action around the world

Nature Climate Change (2016)

Paul G. Bain Taciano L. Milfont Yoshihisa Kashima Michał Bilewicz Guy Doron

10.1038/nclimate2990

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Citations (14)

Descriptive normative beliefs and conservation behavior: The moderating roles of personal involvement and injunctive normative beliefs

European Journal of Social Psychology (2009)

Susanne Göckeritz P. Wesley Schultz Tania Rendón Robert B. Cialdini Noah J. Goldstein

There is ample evidence of the power of social influence on pro-environmental behaviors. Beliefs about the conservation behavior of others (descriptive normative beliefs) have a strong positive correlation with one's own conservation actions. However, this relationship has not been investigated much further in terms of possible moderators or involved mechanisms of information processing. The present study examines two potential moderators and draws links to underlying processing mechanisms. We hypothesized that personal involvement with conservation issues and beliefs about other's approval of conservation (injunctive normative beliefs) would moderate the relationship between descriptive normative beliefs and conservation behavior. The sample consisted of 1604 California residents that were recruited through random digit telephone dialing. Results showed that both injunctive normative beliefs and personal involvement moderated the relationship between descriptive normative beliefs and conservation behavior. High personal involvement weakened the relationship, whereas high injunctive normative beliefs strengthened it. We conclude from these findings that descriptive normative beliefs influence conservation behavior through a rather nonconscious, peripheral route of information processing, while personal involvement motivates a more elaborate, central route of information processing. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Normative social influence

Social norms approach

10.1002/ejsp.643

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Citations (303)

Social science in a water observing system

Water Resources Research (2009)

John B. Braden Daniel G. Brown Jeff Dozier Patricia Gober Sara Hughes

We set forth an argument for the integration of social science research with natural science and engineering research in major research infrastructure investments addressing water science. A program of integrated observation of water resources offers great opportunities to address several environmental “grand challenges” identified by the National Research Council, including climate variability, institutions and resource use, and land use dynamics, and their importance for hydrologic forecasting. We argue that such a program has the potential to advance both water science and the contributing disciplines. However, to realize this potential, it is essential to recognize that social science requires critical infrastructure funding on the scale of advanced research facilities in the natural sciences and engineering.

Grand Challenges

Argument (complex analysis)

Natural science

Research program

Climate science

10.1029/2009wr008216

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Citations (117)

Personalized Energy Reduction Cyber-physical System (PERCS): A Gamified End-User Platform for Energy Efficiency and Demand Response

Lecture notes in computer science (2015)

Nicole D. Sintov Michael Orosz P. Wesley Schultz

Demand Response

Cyber-physical system

On demand

energy demand

10.1007/978-3-319-20804-6_55

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Citations (5)

Breath of Fresh Air: Children's Environmental Attitudes and Indoor and Outdoor Activities

PsycEXTRA Dataset (2010)

Randie C. Chance Coral M. Bruni P. Wesley Schultz

Indoor air

10.1037/e635852010-001

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Citations (0)

Natural Connections

Environment and Behavior (2011)

Coral M. Bruni Randie C. Chance P. Wesley Schultz Jessica M. Nolan

Three studies are reported that examine the effects of valence on connectedness with nature. In Study 1, results showed that the implicit association test (IAT) effect is robust to the valence of the stimuli. Participants showed stronger self-nature than self-built associations, regardless of whether the stimuli were positively or negatively valenced. Study 2 further tested that the positive IAT effect is due to the valence of the stimuli and showed an equally large IAT effect and a strong positive correlation between the positively and negatively valenced IAT stimuli. In Study 3, we address potential confounding effects of valence with a newly matched set of stimuli. Results were consistent with our prior findings in showing that valence of the stimuli did not affect the IAT scores. We conclude that while there are individual differences in connectedness with nature, such beliefs are not affected by positive or negative aspects of natural or built environments.

Implicit-association test

Social Connectedness

Affect

10.1177/0013916511402062

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Citations (30)

Who recycles and when? A review of personal and situational factors

Journal of Environmental Psychology (1995)

P. Wesley Schultz Stuart Oskamp Tina Mainieri

Situational ethics

Demographics

Empirical Research

10.1016/0272-4944(95)90019-5

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Citations (624)

Changing Behavior With Normative Feedback Interventions: A Field Experiment on Curbside Recycling

Basic and Applied Social Psychology (1999)

P. Wesley Schultz

This field experiment increased the frequency of curbside recycling among community residents using feedback interventions that targeted personal and social norms. My team of researchers observed curbside recycling behaviors of 605 residents of single-family dwellings for 17 weeks. Groups of contiguous houses were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 experimental conditions: plea, plea plus information, plea plus neighborhood feedback, plea plus individual household feedback, or the control condition. Interventions were implemented using door hangers delivered to each household over a 4-week period. Results showed significant increases from baseline in the frequency of participation and total amount of recycled material for the individual (i.e., personal norm) and the group feedback (i.e., descriptive norm) interventions. None of the interventions altered the amount of contamination observed. These findings are interpreted as consistent with recent research on personal and social norms and suggest a link between behavior change produced through norm activation and behavior change produced through feedback. Implications for research and public policy are discussed.

Plea

Normative social influence

Legal norm

10.1207/s15324834basp2101_3

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Citations (525)

Emotions as the Enforcers of Norms

Emotion Review (2023)

Cody D. Packard P. Wesley Schultz

Personal and social norms are well-established predictors of proenvironmental behavior, and past research often discusses the motivational properties of different norms. However, less research has examined how individuals feel after conforming to, or deviating from, a norm. We suggest that emotions may function as norm enforcement tools that reward conformity and punish deviance. As a starting point, we outline the emotions that individuals may experience when conforming to, or deviating from, different norms (i.e., personal norms, descriptive social norms, injunctive social norms), and how these emotions can influence proenvironmental behavior. More research is needed to clarify how emotions facilitate, and possibly mediate, the influence of norms on proenvironmental behavior.

Conformity

Social norms approach

Deviance

10.1177/17540739231194315

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Citations (4)