Can a Nudge Induce Garbage Disposal Behavior? Inducement in Prosocial Behavior

In this study, the target behavior of prosocial behavior was defined as garbage disposal (behavior of taking out the trash), and an intervention method using an inducement was proposed and evaluated. Specifically, we conducted an intervention in which the saturation of a trash can was visualized using a colored light that could be changed to red, yellow, and green. In addition, questionnaire surveys were administered before and after the intervention to 28 undergraduate and graduate students and faculty members, asking about their attitudes and feelings toward garbage disposal behavior, and personality traits. The results of a survey on the frequency of trash disposal be-fore and after the experiment showed that the time that the saturated trash can was left unattended was reduced by 81%. The questionnaire survey confirmed that the intervention increased the positive attitude toward trash disposal behavior, indicating that the intervention had an impact on trash disposal behavior. In addition, we were able to confirm the characteristics of individual personality traits and susceptibility to intervention.