Litter in a University Cafeteria

Litter behavior in a university cafeteria was studied. The research examined the effectiveness of various written behavioral prompts that urged patrons not to litter. Prompting resulted in a significant decrease in the litter. Of greater interest, positively worded prompts were more effective than negatively worded prompts. The specificity of the prompt, however, had no reliable effect. Several demographic variables were also examined. Persons in larger groups littered more than those in smaller groups, and males littered more than females. Also, prior to the introduction of the prompts, persons 25 years of age and older littered (nonsignificantly) more than younger persons. When prompts were in effect, however, this tendency was reversed, with older persons littering much less than younger persons. Finally, littering generally decreased as a function of the convenience of disposal facilities.

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