Tailored messaging in conservation psychology

HUM-302 / 2 credits

Teacher: Mohr Christine

Language: English

Remark: Une seule inscription à un cours SHS+MGT autorisée. En cas d'inscriptions multiples elles seront toutes supprimées sans notification

Summary

Conservation efforts are timely and needed. Thus, we constantly encounter information motivating us to behave, respectively. Yet, not every message fits all. We will discuss and develop tailored messages considering individual characteristics such as socio-demographic factors, personality, studies.

Content

Tailored messaging is a widely discussed method in the health sciences and marketing. The basic idea is that core messages are adapted to target audiences with the aim to change behavior. The core message in tailored messages do not change, but the way they are communicated. Interestingly, its application to conservation efforts is yet to be developed, despite the ever-present call to protect climate and biodiversity through sustainable living. In the current course, we will discuss and elaborate tailored messages for conservation efforts in a "conservation" psychological framework. Based on the available literature, students will select a core message and adapt at least two tailored messages depending on their target audiences' characteristics.

Keywords

conservation psychology, sustainability, biodiversity, tailored messages, individual differences.

Learning Prerequisites

Required courses

none

Recommended courses

none

Important concepts to start the course

none

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

  • Decide on the relevant literature
  • Choose a conservation topic to work on
  • Develop tailored messages
  • Apply tailored messages in spoken format
  • Realize video of tailored messages
  • Assess / Evaluate tailored messages

Transversal skills

  • Assess progress against the plan, and adapt the plan as appropriate.
  • Plan and carry out activities in a way which makes optimal use of available time and other resources.
  • Evaluate one's own performance in the team, receive and respond appropriately to feedback.
  • Give feedback (critique) in an appropriate fashion.
  • Take responsibility for environmental impacts of her/ his actions and decisions.
  • Demonstrate the capacity for critical thinking
  • Access and evaluate appropriate sources of information.

Teaching methods

The first part consists in lectures

The second part consists in students selecting a topic based on the available literature (individual and group work).

The final part consists in the establishment of a video conveying at least two types of tailored messages.

Expected student activities

Contribution to lectures, topic selection (analysing the liteature), establishment of tailored messages and putting them into a video format, formulating constructive feedback on videos established by others.

Assessment methods

Evalutation of

- own video

- written feedback on videos by others.

Supervision

Office hours No
Assistants Yes
Forum No
Others Literature search will be part of the course in the second half of the course. Teaching staff will be present to help with the litearture search if needed.

Resources

Moodle Link

In the programs

  • Semester: Spring
  • Number of places: 80
  • Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Tailored messaging in conservation psychology
  • Courses: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: mandatory

Reference week

Related courses

Results from graphsearch.epfl.ch.