Applying social influence insights to encourage climate resilient domestic water behaviour: Bridging the theory-practice gap

Water scarcity is one of the most pressing issues of our time and it is projected to increase as global demand surges and climate change limits fresh water availability. If we are to reduce water demand, it is essential that we draw on every tool in the box, including one that is underestimated and underutilised: social influence. Research from the psychological sciences demonstrates that behaviour is strongly influenced by the behaviour of others, and that social influence can be harnessed to develop cost-effective strategies to encourage climate resilient behaviour. Far less attention has been paid to investigating water-related interventions in comparison to interventions surrounding energy. In this paper we consider the application of three social influence strategies to encourage water conservation: social norms; social identity; and socially-comparative feedback. We not only review their empirical evidence base, but also offer an example of their application in the residential sector with the aim of highlighting how theoretical insights can be translated into practice. We argue that collaborations between researchers and industry are essential if we are to maximise the potential of behaviour change interventions to encourage climate resilient water behaviour

Research Productivity of Nurse Educators

This study examined the research productivity of a selected group of nurse educators in the United States. Research productivity was defined as: (1) the number of past research studies conducted in relation to degree requirements, (2) the number of past research studies conducted which were not in connection with degree requirements, (3) the number of research studies that have been published, and (4) the number of ongoing research studies. The major findings and conclusions of the study are: 1. Nurse educators holding doctorates and those holding the rank of Professor are the profession's most productive researchers. 2. The majority of the present research studies is being conducted by faculty in graduate rather than undergraduate nursing programs. Many nursing programs are providing support for faculty research. However, as a collective, the research support provided by educational institutions is minimal, and only 50 per cent of the institutions use research productivity as a criterion measure for the evaluation of faculty. 3. The majority of the research has been done in connection with degree requirements. However, 72 per cent of the nurse educators who hold doctorates report that they have conducted additional research studies in the past, and 65 per cent of them report ongoing research studies. 4. Past involvement and present involvement in nursing practice research was reported to a greater degree than the literature findings would indicate. 5. The publication plans of nurse educators show a sharp increase over their previous publication records. 6. Descriptive research is the study type chosen by the majority of nurse educators, both in the past and at the present time. 7. Priority areas listed for future research by nurse educators included clinical research in all areas, studies that will enable better prediction of student success in nursing education, and studies related to the entry into practice issue. 8. Little interest could be found in the development of nursing theories or the application of specific theories to practice