Norm diagnosis of a collective action problem: Evidence from plastic littering in Malawi.

Shruti Surachita, University of Stirling

Mirko Moro, University of Stirling

Kondwani Chidziwisano, Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences

Abstract

 Open waste dumping and littering, particularly the improper disposal of single-use plastics (SUP), are pronounced challenges in developing economies such as Malawi, where deficient infrastructure for waste management and inadequate formal institutions hinders effective regulation towards plastic use and disposal. (Bezerra et al 2021). The improper disposal of waste and SUP represents a collective action problem, as this shared behaviour collectively contributes to negative outcomes, including environmental degradation and increased risk of disease outbreaks. This study applies Bicchieri (2016) social norm framework to identify the nature of this collective action problem in an informal settlement in Blantyre, Malawi. We surveyed 1,000 individuals in this community to investigate SUP littering behaviour and to understand the social beliefs regarding littering. Social beliefs refer to individuals’ perceptions of what others in their community do (“empirical beliefs”) and what they believe others approve of or disapprove of (“normative beliefs”). We manipulate such social beliefs using hypothetical vignettes to diagnose the collective problem as a norm-driven behaviour. We also use an incentivised vignette experiment using the Krupka and Weber (2013) method to elicit normative beliefs about littering and to assess whether the normative standards against littering and in favour of a cleaner environment still hold or have weakened. We observe a few interesting results. First, we find that the majority of households believe that most members of their community engage in littering (“high empirical beliefs of littering”). Second, despite these high “empirical beliefs”, people still maintain strong norms both for anti-littering and against littering. That is, they expect others in the community to disapprove of littering and to support anti-littering behaviours. However, we observe some evidence of a decline in this positive normative belief, indicating an urgent need for intervention. Finally, we find that both empirical and normative beliefs—regarding what others in the community do and approve of—significantly influence littering preferences. Specifically, empirical beliefs seem to have a greater impact than normative beliefs. In conclusion, littering is identified as a social norm, influenced by both the behaviour and approval of others in the community. This finding carries important policy implications. While the creation of waste management infrastructure is essential, it may not be sufficient on its own to change littering behaviour. Our diagnosis suggests that policy efforts should also incorporate strategies like norm-nudging, which address and leverage social norms. Specifically, this can be achieved by using messages that highlight positive behaviours, even if they are currently less common, and by making the norm that littering is disapproved of more visible and salient within the community.