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Change the message or change the people? Integral Theory Conference 2010

Change the message or change the people? Integral Theory Conference 2010 Dr Chris Riedy 30 th July 2010. THINK. CHANGE. DO. About me. Research Director at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS (Sydney, Australia) Change agent, researcher and consultant Sustainability

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Change the message or change the people? Integral Theory Conference 2010

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  1. Change the message or change the people? Integral Theory Conference 2010 Dr Chris Riedy30th July 2010 THINK. CHANGE. DO

  2. About me • Research Director at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS (Sydney, Australia) • Change agent, researcher and consultant • Sustainability • Futures studies / foresight • Climate change response • Social and cultural change • More at http://chrisriedy.com 2

  3. The Institute for Sustainable Futures • Mission To create change towards sustainable futures 3

  4. The Eye of the StormIntegral climate change response “I don’t know of any intelligent person who, after studying and grasping the integral overview, chooses a narrower alternative” (Wilber 2004) • How could an integral approach improve Australia’s response to climate change? 4

  5. Current research focus • The Eye of the Storm – research agenda “Further exploration of the factors that influence subjective development, particularly the conditions under which public participation, constructivist education, community cultural development and integral transformative practice are more likely to promote positive subjective development” • Deliberative democracy and civic participation • Strategies for motivating pro-environmental behavior • Action research project to map, review and connect change creation practices for reducing energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in Australia 5

  6. Summary • Introduction • Integral theory and behavior change • AQAL scan of household behavior change • Translation strategies • Transformation strategies • Discussion: balancing translation and transformation 6

  7. Summary • Introduction • Integral theory and behavior change • AQAL scan of household behavior change • Translation strategies • Transformation strategies • Discussion: balancing translation and transformation 7

  8. Integral approach to household behavior change: Research objectives 8

  9. Integral approach to household behavior change: Research stages 9

  10. Summary • Introduction • Integral theory and behavior change • AQAL scan of household behavior change • Translation strategies • Transformation strategies • Discussion: balancing translation and transformation 10

  11. Summary • Introduction • Integral theory and behavior change • AQAL scan of household behavior change • Translation strategies • Transformation strategies • Discussion: balancing translation and transformation 11

  12. AQAL scan on household behavior change (Stage 1) • JITP article To establish a desired set of behaviors (UR), a behavior change initiative must sufficiently elevate and maintain the individual motivation to carry out those behaviors (UL) while providing supportive systems and institutions (LR) and cultural validation, support and respect (LL) 12

  13. 13

  14. Relevant fields

  15. Lines: Multiple intelligences • Howard Gardner • Linguistic • Logical-mathematical • Musical • Bodily-kinesthetic • Spatial • Interpersonal • Intrapersonal • Natural 16

  16. States • Are there states in which individuals are more or less receptive to change? • Emotional states – hope vs despair • Weather states – droughts and disasters • Economic states – financial crisis • Be prepared for emergent change opportunities 17

  17. Types • Some survey evidence (Australian) for gender differences in concern about climate change and likelihood to act • Some behavior change initiatives focusing on women • 1 Million Women • Oxfam Australia’s Sisters on the Planet 18

  18. Design principles for behaviour change initiatives 19 Observe current behaviours and identify target behaviours Identify and remove systemic barriers to the target behaviours (technological, economic, informational, institutional etc) Build in processes for group support and cultural validation for participants (large or small scale) Identify audience segments and translate messages to resonate with these segments (informed by developmental psychology) Experiment with transformative learning processes to help people to develop more inclusive interior structures Use diverse techniques to engage different types of people in different ways (multiple intelligences, multiple types) Be opportunistic and flexible – take advantage of states that arise

  19. Summary • Introduction • Integral theory and behavior change • AQAL scan of household behavior change • Translation strategies • Transformation strategies • Discussion: balancing translation and transformation 20

  20. Summary • Introduction • Integral theory and behavior change • AQAL scan of household behavior change • Translation strategies • Transformation strategies • Discussion: balancing translation and transformation 21

  21. Translation • Designing or tailoring messages to: connect with people just as they are, motivating and informing them in a way that is in alignment with how they already see the world. These communications resonate with a person’s existing worldview without requiring them to be a different person in order to take action (Brown and Riedy) • Rapid deployment, immediate benefits • Social marketing approach 22

  22. Red messages • Common in climate action groups / grassroots • Inciting direct action and civil disobedience • War, conflict, emergency, mobilisation • Coal is the enemy! • Fight against climate-related disasters • Heroic status • Mastery of nature • Endorsement by popular hip-hop acts 23

  23. Amber messages • Common within faith communities • Stewardship or care for the Earth Christ has given the church the task of caring for people and the creation. In regard to large-scale environmental issues, God’s call to love our neighbours means taking a global focus...It means genuinely loving our global neighbours through just, loving and sacrificial action (Matt. 22: 34-40) – Australian Evangelical Alliance 24

  24. Amber messages • Failure to act on climate change is a sin when we exploit God’s creation to breaking point, we break the most fundamental commandment known to us: out of our greed and selfishness, we knowingly cause the degradation of the world’s ecosystems instead of protecting the design that issues from the Creator’s generosity. Wilfully causing environmental degradation is a sin – Anglican Bishop of Canberra • Weekly meat-free day 25

  25. Orange messages • Dominates government messaging • Financial gains • Reduce energy bills • Increase the value of your home • ‘Smart’ action • People that act on climate change are smarter – they are getting ahead 26

  26. Green messages • Dominates large NGO messaging • Focus on participation, teamwork and support • Action for a better world • Community focus • Workshops • Support teams 27

  27. Limitations of translation • How to successfully blend messages • Crompton (2008) • Simple and painless steps that do not challenge values will not deliver the scale of change required • Little or no evidence of spillover effect • Additional pro-environmental behavior is more likely if the initial behavior is motivated by environmental values • Translation may deliver short-term wins but will entrench counter-productive worldviews in the longer term 28

  28. Weaknesses in this argument • The critique is primarily of appeals to Orange values • Perhaps we just need to get smarter with our messaging • Plenty of scope to be more ambitious and creative with appeals to particular values • e.g. Climate Prosperity for Orange • Individual behaviour change occurs within a shifting context that opens up new behaviours • e.g. carbon pricing shifts financial incentives for Orange, opening up new actions that are value-consistent 29

  29. Summary • Introduction • Integral theory and behavior change • AQAL scan of household behavior change • Translation strategies • Transformation strategies • Discussion: balancing translation and transformation 30

  30. Summary • Introduction • Integral theory and behavior change • AQAL scan of household behavior change • Translation strategies • Transformation strategies • Discussion: balancing translation and transformation 31

  31. Transformation • A change in the way a person sees the world • Transformative approaches seek to trigger personal development of participants along one or more developmental lines towards more inclusive structures • Builds the developmental capacity to take more perspectives 32

  32. Climate change as a developmental problem • To truly understand and care about climate change requires a worldcentric perspective “climate change is a cognitively complex issue: it is a “big picture” problem, and to understand its full implications a worldcentric perspective is required as well as an ability to handle both complexity and paradox [and]...a well-developed capacity to be self-reflexive (O’Brien, in press)” • Can (and should) Integral change agents help more people to develop worldcentric perspectives? • Interior development is slow, inconsistent, unpredictable and personally challenging • Transformative learning, ITP, coaching, psychotherapy 33

  33. Transformative learning “the process by which people examine problematic frames of reference to make them more inclusive, discriminating, open, reflective, and emotionally able to change. It can be provoked by a single event – a disorienting dilemma – or it can take place gradually and cumulatively over time. Discourse is central to the process. We need to engage in conversation with others in order to better consider alternative perspectives and determine their validity” (Cranton 2006) 34

  34. Fostering transformative learningCore elements (Taylor 2009) • Individual experience • Prior life experience – source of dilemmas • “Classroom” experiences – value-laden content, intense experiential activities • Promotion of critical reflection • Engagement in dialogue with the self and others • Build trust and empathy • Equal opportunities for participation • Identify ‘edge of meaning’ 35

  35. Fostering transformative learningCore elements (Taylor 2009) • Holistic orientation to teaching that encourages engagement with other ways of knowing, including the affective and relational • Awareness of context • Personal, sociocultural factors • Physical surroundings • Prior experience • Time • Establishing authentic relationships built on trust and openness 36

  36. The ethics of transformation • Creating disequilibrium or dissonance, which can be uncomfortable or even painful What right do I have to encourage you to question what you believe? When is it a responsibility, and when is it an imposition? When is it empowering, and when is it destructive? At what point do I need to leave aside my ego and thirst for learners to do as I do? (Cranton 2006) 37

  37. The ethics of transformation • Participation in transformative approaches needs to be voluntary • This limits the scope of transformation as a basis for behavior change initiatives • Duty of care to provide support and resources to help participants work through difficulties • Form relationships with participants and understand where they are at in their transformative process 38

  38. Summary • Introduction • Integral theory and behavior change • AQAL scan of household behavior change • Translation strategies • Transformation strategies • Discussion: balancing translation and transformation 39

  39. Summary • Introduction • Integral theory and behavior change • AQAL scan of household behavior change • Translation strategies • Transformation strategies • Discussion: balancing translation and transformation 40

  40. Balancing translation and transformation • Translation is clearly the only practical strategy for reaching large numbers of people • Need rapid assessment tools to identify values and worldviews in target audiences • Further development and testing of creative messages for different levels • Experimentation with blending of messages • Reflection on how to integrate translation strategies with broader systemic change strategies 41

  41. Balancing translation and transformation • Dilemma: Translation may not deliver sufficiently deep changes, whereas transformation is too slow and limited in scope • Possible response: Employ both strategies simultaneously, playing to their strengths • Focus time and resource-intensive transformative approaches on potential climate leaders – a climate leadership elite • Climate leaders use translation to reach out to everyone else 42

  42. Balancing translation and transformation 43

  43. Discussion • Do you know of good examples of translation messaging? • Level-specific • Blending • Are you aware of other transformative strategies that could be effective? • What is your position on the ethics of transformation? • Can the approach to balancing translation and transformation proposed here succeed? What are the openings for pursuing this? • Are there opportunities to collaborate to build this kind of approach? 44

  44. References • Brown, BC & Riedy, C 2006, "Use of the Integral Framework to Design Developmentally-Appropriate Sustainability Communications," in W Filho, Innovation, Education and Communication for Sustainable Development, Peter Lang Scientific Publishers, Frankfurt, pp. 661-688. • Cranton, P 2006, Understanding and Promoting Transformative Learning: A Guide for Educators of Adults, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco. • Crompton, T 2008, "Weathercocks and signposts: the environment movement at a crossroads." Retrieved from http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/weathercocks_report2.pdf • Gunnlaugson, O 2005, "Toward Integrally Informed Theories of Transformative Learning." Journal of Transformative Education, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 331-353. • Kegan, R 1982, The Evolving Self: Problem and Process in Human Development, Harvard University Press, Harvard. • O'Brien, K, in press, "Responding to Climate Change: The Need for an Integral Approach," in S Esbjörn-Hargens, Integral Theory in Action: Applied, Theoretical, and Critical Perspectives on the AQAL Model, SUNY Press, New York. Retrieved from http://integrallife.com/files/Integral Climate Change Karen OBrien.pdf • Riedy, C 2009, "Household Behavior Change for Climate Change Response: An Integral Scan." Journal of Integral Theory and Practice, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 103-120. • Taylor, EW 2009, "Fostering Transformative Learning," in J Mezirow & EW Taylor, Transformative Learning in Practice : Insights from Community, Workplace, and Higher Education, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, pp. 3-17. • Wilber, K 2004, 'Foreword', in R Slaughter (ed.), Futures Beyond Dystopia: Creating Social Foresight, RoutledgeFalmer, London and New York, pp. xi-xiii. 45

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