Citizenship education in responsible urban behavior: Rapid etnography oriented to coexistence in public urban spaces

Abstract

A study was conducted aimed for analyzing the effect of the design of a metacontin­gency supported in an urban signage on monitoring rules that guide the adoption of re­sponsible urban behaviors along an avenue of the city of Cucuta, Colombia. Following a Rapid Ethnographic Assessment that included interviewing urban managers, lay peo­ple, and a field experiment, it was evaluated the effect of the metacontingency on indi­vidual´s behaviors in public spaces. The results confirm that the arrangement between the interdependence of individuals and the announced consequences in the signage pro­duces significant changes on the behavior of citizens who circulate through public space. The implications of the findings for the strengthening of civic coexistence as a cultural practice are discussed.