title: Pro-environmental behaviour change for nature: Empirical and theoretical evidence from a field experiment in Aotearoa New Zealand

authors: Maris, Robert David Colin

subjects: Environmental economics

abstract: Individual behaviour change is a crucial component of our response to current environmental challenges and over recent years, a growing body of literature has focussed on the drivers and levers of pro-environmental behaviours. However, scholars have noted there is a considerable shortage of behavioural science research that focuses on behaviours that directly impact nature and biodiversity. This is concerning, given the enormous value populations place on nature, the fundamental role nature plays in society and because nature is declining rapidly. 
In this thesis, we focus on understanding volunteering for nature restoration groups, which we show is an under-researched behaviour in the literature. It also has relatively high potential to deliver positive impacts for biodiversity and nature. We start by developing a simple generalisable theoretical model that suggests three main factors may be inhibiting the uptake of volunteering for nature – uncertainty, inaccuracy and high behavioural adjustment costs. We use this model to inform the design and hypotheses for a large field experiment in Aotearoa New Zealand where we aim to answer the following questions:
How can we increase volunteering for nature restoration groups? What are the effects of volunteering for the first-time on future volunteering behaviour? How does volunteering affect other important outcomes of interest, like environmental identity, locus of control beliefs and wellbeing?
Our field experiment has two stages. In stage one, we randomly assign first-time volunteers (those who are not already engaged in nature volunteering) to treatment groups to assess the impact of a nudge, a supermarket voucher incentive and a nudge and incentive combined on volunteering behaviour. We find that a $50 NZD supermarket incentive increases attendance rates at volunteering events and commitment rates to attend volunteering events. On the other hand, an environmentally and socially motivated nudge in isolation has no effect on volunteering behaviour. However, combining the nudge with the voucher incentive enhances the efficacy of either treatment alone, demonstrating that significant positive synergies exist between nudges and incentives in this context. 
In stage two, we show volunteering for the first-time is plausibly randomly assigned, conditional on availability and being offered an incentive. We use this feature to estimate the causal impact of volunteering for the first time on future volunteering behaviour and other outcomes of interest. We find that volunteering for the first time crowds in future volunteering behaviour, generates positive spillovers to other pro-environmental behaviours and strengthens environmental self-identity and locus of control beliefs, which are important pre-cursors to pro-environmental behaviour. Our results show two mechanisms are likely driving these effects. Firstly, volunteering for the first-time provides important information about the benefits of volunteering that are used in future decision-making. Secondly, it strengthens environmental attitudes and identity, which in-turn affect preferences for pro-environmental behaviour. Taken together, our results show that using a financial incentive to help people experiment with volunteering can lead to large positive spillovers and crowding-in effects for future pro-environmental behaviour.

text: Pro-environmental behaviour change for nature: Empirical and theoretical evidence from a field experiment in Aotearoa New Zealand Individual behaviour change is a crucial component of our response to current environmental challenges and over recent years, a growing body of literature has focussed on the drivers and levers of pro-environmental behaviours. However, scholars have noted there is a considerable shortage of behavioural science research that focuses on behaviours that directly impact nature and biodiversity. This is concerning, given the enormous value populations place on nature, the fundamental role nature plays in society and because nature is declining rapidly. 
In this thesis, we focus on understanding volunteering for nature restoration groups, which we show is an under-researched behaviour in the literature. It also has relatively high potential to deliver positive impacts for biodiversity and nature. We start by developing a simple generalisable theoretical model that suggests three main factors may be inhibiting the uptake of volunteering for nature – uncertainty, inaccuracy and high behavioural adjustment costs. We use this model to inform the design and hypotheses for a large field experiment in Aotearoa New Zealand where we aim to answer the following questions:
How can we increase volunteering for nature restoration groups? What are the effects of volunteering for the first-time on future volunteering behaviour? How does volunteering affect other important outcomes of interest, like environmental identity, locus of control beliefs and wellbeing?
Our field experiment has two stages. In stage one, we randomly assign first-time volunteers (those who are not already engaged in nature volunteering) to treatment groups to assess the impact of a nudge, a supermarket voucher incentive and a nudge and incentive combined on volunteering behaviour. We find that a $50 NZD supermarket incentive increases attendance rates at volunteering events and commitment rates to attend volunteering events. On the other hand, an environmentally and socially motivated nudge in isolation has no effect on volunteering behaviour. However, combining the nudge with the voucher incentive enhances the efficacy of either treatment alone, demonstrating that significant positive synergies exist between nudges and incentives in this context. 
In stage two, we show volunteering for the first-time is plausibly randomly assigned, conditional on availability and being offered an incentive. We use this feature to estimate the causal impact of volunteering for the first time on future volunteering behaviour and other outcomes of interest. We find that volunteering for the first time crowds in future volunteering behaviour, generates positive spillovers to other pro-environmental behaviours and strengthens environmental self-identity and locus of control beliefs, which are important pre-cursors to pro-environmental behaviour. Our results show two mechanisms are likely driving these effects. Firstly, volunteering for the first-time provides important information about the benefits of volunteering that are used in future decision-making. Secondly, it strengthens environmental attitudes and identity, which in-turn affect preferences for pro-environmental behaviour. Taken together, our results show that using a financial incentive to help people experiment with volunteering can lead to large positive spillovers and crowding-in effects for future pro-environmental behaviour.

year: 2023

title: Pattern discovery for object categorization

authors: Zhang, Edmond Yiwen

subjects: computer science

abstract: This paper presents a new approach for the object categorization problem. Our model is based on the successful `bag of words' approach. However, unlike the original model, image features (keypoints) are not seen as independent and orderless. Instead, our model attempts to discover intermediate representations for each object class. This approach works by partitioning the image into smaller regions then computing the spatial relationships between all of the informative image keypoints in the region. The results show that the inclusion of spatial relationships leads to a measurable increase in performance for two of the most challenging datasets.

text: Pattern discovery for object categorization This paper presents a new approach for the object categorization problem. Our model is based on the successful `bag of words' approach. However, unlike the original model, image features (keypoints) are not seen as independent and orderless. Instead, our model attempts to discover intermediate representations for each object class. This approach works by partitioning the image into smaller regions then computing the spatial relationships between all of the informative image keypoints in the region. The results show that the inclusion of spatial relationships leads to a measurable increase in performance for two of the most challenging datasets.

year: 2008

title: Ko Waipā te awa

authors: Kukutai, Josephine

abstract: This thesis examines the experience of the Ngāti Maniapoto (‘Maniapoto’) iwi in the development and implementation of their river settlement legislation, the Ngā Wai o Maniapoto (Waipā River) Act 2012 (the 'Act’) . The overarching purpose of the Act is to restore and maintain the quality and integrity of the waters that flow into and form part of the Waipā River for present and future generations and the care and protection of the mana tuku iho o Waiwaia. The restoration of the Waipā River is essential because of its considerable significance to Maniapoto. The Waipā River is connected to the health and identity of the Maniapoto people and is a taonga (gift) that contains their spiritual and physical wellbeing. The Waipā River is significant because: 
Te Awa o Waipā is a taonga to Maniapoto; the relationship between Maniapoto and the Waipā River is historical, intellectual, physical, and spiritual; to Maniapoto, their relationship with the Waipā River and their respect for it lies at the heart of their spiritual and physical wellbeing, and their tribal identity and culture
The approach to expressing the journey of Maniapoto in the development and implementation of the Waipā River legislation required a Māori lens. I used a Kaupapa Māori approach to examine the development of the Act and again to understand the difficulties in realising the promise of the Act. The focus of this thesis is on the Maniapoto people and their experience of the Act. The Waipā River Settlement and the Waikato River Settlement are closely connected, and the study delves into the history of the Waikato River Settlement and its influence on the Waipā River Settlement. The rangatiratanga (authority) of Maniapoto within their rohe has always been paramount in decision-making. The co-governance and co-management framework however relies on a different form of decision, that of co-decision-making, which is conducted not only in partnership with the Crown but also other Waikato River iwi. Co-governance and co-management change the standard model of traditional autonomous decision-making or rangatiratanga within an iwi and potentially challenges the decisions made. The co-governance and co-management Deed agreed between Maniapoto and the Crown for the Waipā River has changed how people operate in the Maniapoto rohe and how they may have operated previously. This thesis concludes by reflecting on some of the challenges experienced by Maniapoto in the new co-governance and co-management era.

text: Ko Waipā te awa This thesis examines the experience of the Ngāti Maniapoto (‘Maniapoto’) iwi in the development and implementation of their river settlement legislation, the Ngā Wai o Maniapoto (Waipā River) Act 2012 (the 'Act’) . The overarching purpose of the Act is to restore and maintain the quality and integrity of the waters that flow into and form part of the Waipā River for present and future generations and the care and protection of the mana tuku iho o Waiwaia. The restoration of the Waipā River is essential because of its considerable significance to Maniapoto. The Waipā River is connected to the health and identity of the Maniapoto people and is a taonga (gift) that contains their spiritual and physical wellbeing. The Waipā River is significant because: 
Te Awa o Waipā is a taonga to Maniapoto; the relationship between Maniapoto and the Waipā River is historical, intellectual, physical, and spiritual; to Maniapoto, their relationship with the Waipā River and their respect for it lies at the heart of their spiritual and physical wellbeing, and their tribal identity and culture
The approach to expressing the journey of Maniapoto in the development and implementation of the Waipā River legislation required a Māori lens. I used a Kaupapa Māori approach to examine the development of the Act and again to understand the difficulties in realising the promise of the Act. The focus of this thesis is on the Maniapoto people and their experience of the Act. The Waipā River Settlement and the Waikato River Settlement are closely connected, and the study delves into the history of the Waikato River Settlement and its influence on the Waipā River Settlement. The rangatiratanga (authority) of Maniapoto within their rohe has always been paramount in decision-making. The co-governance and co-management framework however relies on a different form of decision, that of co-decision-making, which is conducted not only in partnership with the Crown but also other Waikato River iwi. Co-governance and co-management change the standard model of traditional autonomous decision-making or rangatiratanga within an iwi and potentially challenges the decisions made. The co-governance and co-management Deed agreed between Maniapoto and the Crown for the Waipā River has changed how people operate in the Maniapoto rohe and how they may have operated previously. This thesis concludes by reflecting on some of the challenges experienced by Maniapoto in the new co-governance and co-management era.

year: 2020