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The Effects of Motivational and Informative Signage on Intentions to Minimize Food Waste in a University All-Access Dining Hall

University of British Columbia. Food Services; University of British Columbia. Campus and Community Planning

Introduction How does informative and motivational messaging on signage affect intentions to finish all the food taken in all-access university dining halls? Past research has indicated that messaging that creates optimism, hope, and motivation effectively influences intentions and behaviour, with more mixed findings on the effectiveness of informative messaging. However, there is a gap in the literature comparing the effectiveness of informative signage and motivational signage in the context of food waste prevention. Research Question How does informative and motivational messaging on signage affect intentions to finish all the food individuals take in an all-access university dining hall? Methods We created a between-subjects design study in the form of an online survey, wherein participants (N = 229) were assigned to one of three conditions: control, informative, and motivation. They were presented with a corresponding poster and asked about their intention to finish the food they took. Results Results showed no significant difference between conditions, with participants reporting similar degrees of intent to finish food. These findings deviate from previous research regarding the effectiveness of informative and motivational messaging, and this may be due to a lack of personal relevance of all messaging or comprehension of numbers provided in the informative condition. Recommendations Rotating signage periodically can prevent habituation, maintain student engagement, and ensure messaging remains fresh and resonates with the diverse student population. UBC Food Services can also refine messaging strategies to maximize their impact by actively seeking feedback from students and analyzing data on behaviour change. Finally, UBC Food Services can incorporate subtle cues or prompts in signage that guide individuals towards more sustainable choices. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”

Report

eng

2024-07-30

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/88782

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/