Environment and Behavior AND PASSIVE LITTERING A Two-Stage Process Model of

Abstract

A two-stage model of littering behavior in public places differentiated two types of littering: active and passive.Thedistinction between active littering (e.g., someone drops litter on the ground and continueswalking) and passive littering (e.g., someone drops litter on a bench while seated and fails to remove it when leaving) depends on the latency between (a)whenthe litter is placed in the environment and (b) failure to remove that litter when vacating the territory. Results suggested passive lit- teringwas more resistant to change than active littering. Posted feedback significantly reduced cigarette littering by 17% (20% reduction in active littering, 6% increase in passive littering) and noncigarette littering by 19% (0% change in active littering due to minimal baseline levels, 25% reduction in passive littering). The probability of lit- tering also increased with the latency between when litter was placed in the area and when the individual vacated the area.