Prompting Behavior Change in the Community

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Abstract
Newspapers play a critical role in the dissemination of information to the public. Systematic attempts to evaluate the newspaper as a viable method of changing community behavior are sparse in the literature. A multiple baseline design was used to evaluate the effects of daily newspaper prompting and graphical feedback on the amount of litter in yards along streets of a small city. Daily measures of ground litter were taken in three areas: two residential and commercial and the other near a city school. An initial article calling for an antilitter campaign and daily information concerning the amount of litter present was published in the local newspaper. When the prompting and feedback procedure was published, the amount of litter decreased from 21% to 48%. It seems that appropriate newspaper publicity can be used effectively to control litter. One-month follow-up measures indicated that the effect was temporary. Consistent newspaper feedback may be necessary to maintain behavior change.

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