A local council sustainability scheme called ‘The Sonic Bin Project’ aimed to prove that public recycling habits can be improved by adding interactive sensory rewards to mundane tasks. In a recent pilot in a busy public park, researchers modified a standard recycling bin so that it played a retro arcade ‘level-up’ sound effect and updated a digital high-score counter every time a plastic bottle was deposited. During the two-week trial, the Sonic Bin collected 54% more recyclable plastics than a standard, silent recycling bin placed 50 metres away, suggesting that immediate sensory feedback is an effective way to encourage environmentally friendly behaviour.
Using your knowledge of psychology, explain why introducing sensory rewards (such as sound effects) to mundane tasks can lead to a change in behaviour. Justify your response making reference to the extract.
26 exam-style questions on OCR A Level Psychology Recycling and other conservation behaviours (Cognitive). Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.