For the past forty years, social science researchers have studied how to encourage pro-environmental behaviors such as the adoption of recycling programs, water conservation strategies, and purchase of sustainable products. This article presents a synthesis of these research findings as they relate to the design of sustainable products and technologies. Research from environmental psychology, consumer studies, economics, decision sciences, public policy, and behavioral psychology are organized into cognitive concepts that are crucial to the successful purchase and use of sustainable products. The cognitive concepts reviewed are: responsibility, complex decision-making skills, decision heuristics, the altruism-sacrifice link, trust, cognitive dissonance/guilt, and motivation. Product examples are provided to highlight the role of these cognitive concepts in sustainable design. Design recommendations and relevant design methods are discussed. The recommendations require dynamic and on-going coordination between designers, manufacturers, marketers, and government policy-makers to achieve positive changes in individuals’ behaviors. The success of sustainable products depends on the success of this coordination.
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ASME 2012 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference
August 12–15, 2012
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Design Engineering Division
- Computers and Information in Engineering Division
ISBN:
978-0-7918-4506-6
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Seven Cognitive Concepts for Successful Sustainable Design
Erin MacDonald,
Erin MacDonald
Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Search for other works by this author on:
Jinjuan She
Jinjuan She
Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Search for other works by this author on:
Erin MacDonald
Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Jinjuan She
Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Paper No:
DETC2012-70676, pp. 485-500; 16 pages
Published Online:
September 9, 2013
Citation
MacDonald, E, & She, J. "Seven Cognitive Concepts for Successful Sustainable Design." Proceedings of the ASME 2012 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. Volume 7: 9th International Conference on Design Education; 24th International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology. Chicago, Illinois, USA. August 12–15, 2012. pp. 485-500. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/DETC2012-70676
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