Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

From analytical to empathetic: Disruptive communication for action-based decision-making

Researchers examined how disruptive communication approaches can be shifted from purely analytical to empathetic framing to better drive engagement and action-based decision-making around plastic pollution. The study found that combining emotional resonance with concrete action pathways makes disruptive communication more effective at motivating behavioral and policy change.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

Disruptive Communication as a Means to Engage Children in Solving Environmental Challenges: A Case Study on Plastic Pollution

This paper presents a case study using disruptive communication strategies to engage children in addressing plastic pollution through an interactive campaign. The study found that participatory, child-centered approaches were effective at building environmental awareness and motivating behavior change around plastic use. Engaging young people in plastic pollution solutions is important for long-term reduction in the plastic waste that generates microplastics.

2021 Frontiers in Psychology 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Consistent or inconsistent? The effects of inducing cognitive dissonance vs. cognitive consonance on the intention to engage in pro-environmental behaviors

Researchers investigated how cognitive dissonance between environmental awareness and pro-environmental behavior influences individuals' rationalization strategies, finding that attempts to induce cognitive consonance could shift behavioral intentions, with implications for designing more effective pro-environmental communications.

2022 Frontiers in Psychology 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Decoding derogation: The impact of environmental values and political ideology on the effect of persuasive message about recycle and reuse behaviors

Researchers examined how environmental values and political ideology influence reactions to persuasive messages about plastic pollution, finding that these personal belief systems shape message derogation in distinct ways that subsequently affect risk perception, self-efficacy, and individuals' intentions to recycle and reuse plastics.

2024 Risk Analysis 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Framing for action? Assessing microplastic-related threat potential for planetary health as a political participation catalyzer

This study analyzed how microplastic-related threats to planetary health are communicated as a political issue, finding that framing microplastics as a systemic health risk increases public concern and may serve as a catalyst for environmental policy action.

2024
Article Tier 2

Promoting Conservation Intentions Through Humanized Messaging in Green Advertisements: The Mediation Roles of Empathy and Responsibility

Researchers conducted an experiment with 505 participants to test whether humanized messaging in green advertisements increases conservation intentions regarding plastic waste. They found that ads depicting marine animals in human-like terms significantly boosted empathy, perceived responsibility, and willingness to take conservation action. The study suggests that connecting people emotionally with the impacts of plastic pollution through humanized narratives can be an effective strategy for promoting environmental behavior change.

2025 Sustainability 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Young Adults’ Intentions toward the Prevention of Microplastic Pollution in Taiwan: Examining Personality and Information Processing in Fear-Appeal Communication

A Taiwanese study examined how young adults' psychological reactance influenced their response to fear-based messaging about microplastic pollution. People with higher reactance were less persuaded by threat-focused communication and less likely to form pro-environmental intentions. The findings suggest tailoring anti-pollution campaigns to minimize defensive reactions.

2022 Sustainability 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Advancing a Cleaner Society: Exploring the Impact of Storytelling, Social Media, Humor, and Celebrity Influence in Research Communication for Pollution

This paper explored how storytelling, social media, humor, and celebrity involvement can be used to more effectively communicate environmental pollution threats such as microplastics and biodiversity loss to the public. The review argues that creative and culturally resonant communication strategies are essential for driving behavioral change toward a cleaner society.

2024 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Public knowledge of microplastics for pro-environmental behavior

Researchers analyzed public knowledge of microplastics and its relationship to pro-environmental behavior, finding that because microplastics are invisible to the naked eye, public perception depends entirely on external information sources rather than direct experience, with implications for environmental communication strategies.

2022 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Article Tier 2

A Study On Creating Awareness Of Plastic Usage To Promote Sustainable Practices For A Greener Future

This study examines educational interventions and awareness campaigns aimed at reducing plastic consumption and promoting sustainable practices, evaluating their effectiveness in shifting public attitudes and behaviors toward a lower-plastic future.

2025 International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research
Systematic Review Tier 1

Toward a Taxonomy of Climate Emotions

This literature review proposes a preliminary taxonomy of climate emotions, categorizing emotional responses to the climate crisis into distinct types that influence resilience, climate action, and psychological well-being. The research argues that understanding the full range of climate emotions, from anxiety and grief to hope and determination, is essential for effective climate communication and action. Climate change and plastic pollution share emotional and behavioral dimensions, as both are driven by consumption patterns and require systemic behavioral change.

2022 Frontiers in Climate 377 citations
Article Tier 2

Reassessing the Impact of Fear Appeals in Sustainable Consumption Communication: An Investigation into Message Types and Message Foci

This experimental study tests how different types of fear appeals (economic, physical, self-esteem) in environmental marketing messages influence consumers' intention to buy sustainable products. It is not about microplastics or environmental contamination; it is a marketing/consumer behavior study and is a false positive for microplastic relevance.

2023 Sustainability 6 citations
Article Tier 2

A Change of Mind: Applying Social and Behavioral Research Methods to the Assessment of the Effectiveness of Ocean Literacy Initiatives

This paper reviews how social and behavioral science methods can be used to measure whether ocean literacy programs actually change people's environmental behaviors. Better evaluation tools are needed to determine if public education about plastic pollution leads to real reductions in plastic use.

2019 Frontiers in Marine Science 58 citations
Systematic Review Tier 1

Towards a Reduced Pollution Society: Systematic Review on the Role of Storytelling, Social Media, Humor and Celebrities’ Influence for Research Communication

This systematic review explores how storytelling, humor, and celebrity influence can help communicate the dangers of pollution, including microplastics, to the public. The study found that these creative communication strategies can effectively raise awareness and motivate people to change behaviors that contribute to environmental and health problems.

2024 Journal of applied science and environmental management 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Affects in Online Stakeholder Engagement: A Dissensus Perspective

This study challenges the assumption that online stakeholder engagement produces rational consensus, arguing instead that conflict and emotional 'affects' are fundamental drivers of discourse around corporate responsibility for plastic pollution.

2021 Business Ethics Quarterly 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Citizen Environmental Behavior From the Perspective of Psychological Distance Based on a Visual Analysis of Bibliometrics and Scientific Knowledge Mapping

A bibliometric and scientific knowledge mapping analysis examined how psychological distance theory has been applied to research on citizen environmental behavior, finding that perceived distance from environmental problems reduces motivation to act. The review identifies framing strategies that reduce psychological distance as key for designing effective environmental communication campaigns.

2022 Frontiers in Psychology 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring the psychological antecedents of private and public sphere behaviours to reduce household plastic consumption

Researchers surveyed 648 people to understand what psychological factors drive different plastic-reduction behaviors — switching to plastic-free products, political activism, and supporting policy. Personal moral norms predicted all three types of action, while feeling personally capable was the strongest driver of purchase decisions, suggesting that reducing plastic use requires addressing both values and practical barriers.

2022 Environment Development and Sustainability 28 citations
Article Tier 2

Communicating ocean and human health connections: An agenda for research and practice

This review examines the emerging field of ocean and human health communication, arguing that effective messaging strategies linking ocean pollution to personal health outcomes can motivate public action and policy change more powerfully than broad environmental appeals.

2022 Frontiers in Public Health 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental Value and Pro-environmental Behavior Among Young Adults: The Mediating Role of Risk Perception and Moral Anger

A survey of 558 young adults tested the relationship between environmental values and pro-environmental behavior, finding that risk perception and moral anger acted as mediating mechanisms through which values translated into action. The study provides insights for environmental communication strategies aimed at motivating plastic pollution reduction behaviors in younger populations.

2022 Frontiers in Psychology 43 citations
Article Tier 2

The Persistence of Plastic: Environmental Public Art and Micro-Plastic Pollution

This study explored whether environmental public art about plastic pollution can motivate behavioral change in Australian audiences. Survey responses from art exhibit visitors showed increased concern and pro-environmental intentions, suggesting that arts-based communication strategies can complement scientific messaging in addressing microplastic contamination.

2020 Figshare 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Public Attention Formation in the "Diet Kantong Plastik" Social Movement

This qualitative study examines how Indonesia's Plastic Bag Diet Movement used social media to build public attention for reducing plastic use, finding that consistent, informative messaging and strategic timing helped grow the campaign's reach. The research suggests that digital advocacy can effectively raise environmental awareness but must also close the gap between awareness and individual action.

2021 Ultimacomm 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Mezcla de mercadotecnia aplicada a la reducción de desechos plásticos

This paper applies marketing mix principles to behavior change strategies aimed at reducing plastic waste, examining how communication and incentive design can shift consumer choices. Marketing strategies that promote plastic reduction can decrease the amount of plastic that eventually enters environments and fragments into microplastics.

2023 Aibi revista de investigación administración e ingeniería
Article Tier 2

Extending the theory of planned behaviour to investigate the issue of microplastics in the marine environment

Researchers extended the theory of planned behaviour to investigate public attitudes toward marine microplastic pollution, finding that environmental awareness and perceived behavioral control significantly predicted consumers' intentions to reduce microplastic-generating product use.

2022 Marine Pollution Bulletin 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Next steps for research on society and microplastics

This perspective paper assessed the contributions of social and behavioral sciences to microplastics research, covering policy analysis, public education, and stakeholder engagement. The authors argue for greater integration of social science methods to understand and reduce plastic pollution at the human systems level.

2024 Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)