Empathy Conservation: Experiments Suggest a Need for More Attention in Policymaking

Authors

Natalia V. Czap, University of Michigan-DearbornFollow
Hans J. Czap, University of Michigan-DearbornFollow
Gary Lynne, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Mark E. Burbach, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2017

Document Type

Article

Citation

CAFIO Policy Pager 11 (2017)

Abstract

One of the major challenges of environmental policy with regard to conservation is that it must often rely on voluntary and non-selfish actions of individuals. Traditionally policy makers rely on direct regulation and financial incentives, but both approaches face problems. Regulations may lead to resentment and the costs of perfect enforcement are prohibitively high. Financial incentives can be perverse and may lead to unintended consequences, including crowding out of intrinsic motivation. In addition, behavioral economics and economic psychology studies demonstrate that the assumptions of the neoclassical economic models (such as self-interest only, rationality, and willpower) on which the policy design often relies do not always hold in the field.