Towards Accelerating the Social Tipping Points in Sustainable Behaviors: A Behavioral Segmentation of the Quebecer Population

The societal ecological transition required to address climate change must occur rapidly, to save as much as we can of the planet’s ecosystem. To do that, long-term moralization processes need to be complemented with short-term behavioral change interventions.
A key component of successful behavioral change, whether in the short or long run, is understanding the target audience, recognizing that individuals differ in their motivation, intentions, and most importantly in their readiness to change. Therefore, a segmentation exercise is primordial.
This project will conduct a segmentation through a representative survey of approximately 2,000 Quebec residents, guided by the behavioral change framework, and the long-term moralization processes mentioned above. The segmentation will be theory-driven, incorporating behavioral change theories as well as moralization theories. The analysis builds on both hierarchical and non-hierarchical clustering methods for segmentation. This approach ensures theoretical relevance, generalizability, and empirical validation.
The objectives are to develop a comprehensive guide for designing targeted interventions within Quebec, establish a theory-driven segmentation model, and create a framework bridging short-term situational changes with long-term moralization. The results will inform policy and intervention design, facilitating a faster and more effective ecological transition.

Faculty Supervisor:

Laurette Dube

Student:

Partner:

Futur Simple

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Information and cultural industries

University:

McGill University

Program: