Culturo-Behavioral Contributions to a Sustainable Market: The Interplay of Producers’ and Consumers’ Practices

Abstract

Sustainability is a relevant and pressing theme in which concepts and tools of cultural systems analysis should be applied to a greater extent. The misalignment of the incentive system for producers and consumers raises the issue of sustainable production and consumption of goods and services. A change of paradigm may be needed for shifting defective practices into better informed choices that are consistent with environmental targets and avoid the overexploitation of our planet’s resources. Previous efforts include the 2010 special issue of The Behavior Analyst and the Matrix Project, which advocated a greater involvement of behavior analysts and scientists in sustainability issues. In this conceptual analysis, we continue this effort by analyzing and discussing some of the contingencies underlying: i. manufacturers’ drive for offering environmentally friendly goods; ii. consumers’ bounded choices; and iii. their interaction in the market for achieving sustainable goals. We provide examples of virtuous and defective practices and relate to the Green Shift in Norway. The potential impact of this work consists of informing and influencing policymakers and advocacy organizations as agents of change. Their work is key to shape producers’ and consumers’ preferences for implementing sustainable practices and achieving common environmental goals.