What We Say Versus What We Do with Kate Laffan

PodcastAugust 16, 2021
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If we’re thinking about having real, lasting change on the environment, and we focus on the role of behaviour change in that, then we need to really focus on those behaviours that if we were to achieve behaviour change, it would deliver real impact.

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Intro

Kate Laffan, Marie Curie Fellow at University College Dublin, explains why we struggle to reach the goals we set for ourselves: the intention-behaviour gap. One of the ways this gap manifests is in our environmentally-conscious behaviour. We can work personally and collectively to better align our behaviours to our intentions, and make the world a little better off by doing so. 

This podcast delves deep into changes we can bring about on an individual and organizational level to benefit the environment, including topics such as

  • Key behaviours that we can change, such as meat consumption, air travel, and our housing
  • Reducing intention-behaviour gaps on the organizational level, through strategies that include prosocial incentives, green defaults, and decision aids
  • Creating change on an individual level through implementation intentions, monitoring, and reflection
  • Using COVID-19 induced changes in work environments as opportunities for behavioural change

About the Guest

Kate Laffan

Kate Laffan

Dr. Kate Laffan is a Marie-Curie fellow at the University College of Dublin, Behavioral Science Fellow at the OECD, and Visiting Fellow in the Psychological and Behavioural Science Department (PBS) of London School of Economics. She also hosts the PBS Theory to Practice seminar series which focuses on the application of behavioural science to pressing policy challenges. Her current research focuses on intention-behavior gaps in environmentally significant consumer behaviour, with the goal of bringing about policy-related changes that can benefit society and the environment at large.

About the Interviewer

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Dr. Brooke Struck

Dr. Brooke Struck is the Research Director at The Decision Lab. He is an internationally recognized voice in applied behavioural science, representing TDL’s work in outlets such as Forbes, Vox, Huffington Post and Bloomberg, as well as Canadian venues such as the Globe & Mail, CBC and Global Media. Dr. Struck hosts TDL’s podcast “The Decision Corner” and speaks regularly to practicing professionals in industries from finance to health & wellbeing to tech & AI.

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