From Carbon Footprint to Circular Brainprint: Advancing Behavioral Foundations of the Circular Economy

Abstract

This conceptual article introduces the “circular brainprint,” a framework that links upstream mindset conditions to the concrete uptake of circular practices across the 10R. We address a clear gap: existing work measures downstream outcomes (footprints/handprints) or offers generic behavioral tools, but lacks a map from identifiable antecedents—biases, ownership frames, norms, trust, skills, and access—to adoption of repair, reuse, sharing, and product-service systems. We define the circular brainprint as the cognitive–social–educational infrastructure that raises the probability of these choices and makes them persistent. Building on a structured narrative synthesis across psychology, behavioral economics, and sustainability education, the article derives testable propositions that connect micro-mechanisms and meso-level supports to specific circular options. Education features as a lever that reconfigures antecedents—building skills and perceived control, shifting descriptive/injunctive norms, and strengthening provider trust—rather than as awareness alone. We outline measurable indicators (e.g., repair/reuse rates, refurbished share, PSS uptake) that operationalize the brainprint and enable policy design.   Correction note (13 January 2026): The wording of the funding statement was updated to reflect the current mandatory formulation required by the European Commission. The funding source and scholarly content of the article remain unchanged.