Moments of change represent a break in people’s existing patterns or routines mainly due to personal, social, or professional circumstances. Such transitions could provide a stronger opportunity for a planned, conscious, and highly conductive habit change and subsequently a more effective, possibly long-term, behaviour change.

The project explores this development, looking at pro-environmental behaviours, more specifically sustainable consumer behaviours, and political and environmental activism, during a distinct period of people’s lives, leaving school and transitioning to university.

Starting university is important as it happens during a stage in people’s lives known as ‘late adolescence’ when people are between the ages of 18 and 25. It is accompanied by a lot of other changes such as getting the right to vote, operating personal finances and moving out of one’s family home.

We are interested to see how transitioning to university might affect pro-environmental behaviours such as energy use, transport behaviours, shopping behaviours, waste management, etc. We are also exploring the role of various psychological constructs such as human values, identity, and emotional regulation on pro-environmental behaviours during a moment of change.

What's involved in the study

The study involves completing an online questionnaire. It will take around 20 minutes and ask questions about your current attitudes and lifestyle and how these have changed recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition from high-school to university.

Once complete, we will ask whether you are willing to take part in future studies. If you agree, you will just need to supply your e-mail address and we will be in touch within a few months.

If you agree to take part in our study you will be asked to give your consent before taking part.

Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in this study, you must have just completed your A-levels and be a current first-year university student.

What you'll get for taking part

You will be entered into a prize draw for an Amazon voucher worth £50. Your data will also be invaluable to researchers in understanding how young people develop their habits and values.

Confidentiality

All the information provided will be confidential. You would not provide your name and only the research team will have access to your data.

If you choose to take part in the prize draw and/or future studies, we will ask for your contact details. Your contact details will be stored separately from your answers to the questionnaire. All of the information you share with us will be stored confidentially and securely on the University of Bath secure server, and only members of the research team will have access to it.

If you do not choose to take part in the prize draw or in future studies, we will not ask for your contact details. Your answers to the questionnaire will be stored anonymously and securely on the University of Bath secure server, and only members of the research team will have access to them. The data will be used for scientific purposes, it will be stored securely, and it will be kept for an indefinite period of time.

This study has received ethical approval.¹