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Innovation and Behavioural Change
We are a small, interdisciplinary team with expertise in behavioural economics, extension science and psychometric evaluation. The aim of this team is to create behavioural change within the Land Use Sector in relation to the uptake of environmental and efficiency related technologies. Work within the team applies qualitative and quantitative approaches to eliciting attitudes, values and intentions within the land use sectors but also covers metrics of performance, e.g., efficiency measurement, as a means of assessing how behaviours have changed over time. The team also investigates behavioural change with regard to other issues, such as public attitudes/behaviour as regards sustainable consumption (e.g., animal welfare and environmental/climate change impacts).
Our work within the team is focused on research and analysis of farmer uptake of technologies which will lead to a low carbon, ‘climate smart’ future. We have studied a range of farmer attitudes/ perceptions/ behaviour to a range of stimuli related to this, such as climate change, animal welfare/health, agricultural policy instruments and water quality. Other recent and ongoing work, based on developing metrics of performance, include measurement of farm level efficiencies at the Scotland, UK and European Union level; adjusting measures of efficiency for other ecosystems services such as pollution and animal welfare and developing conceptual approaches and measures for understanding sustainable intensification.
Recent and forthcoming papers include:
- Barnes, A.P., Rutherford, K.M.D., Langford, F.M. and Haskell, M.J. (2011). The impact of lameness prevalence on dairy farm level technical efficiency: An adjusted data envelopment analysis approach, Journal of Dairy Science, Vol. 94, Issue 11
- Barnes, A.P. and Toma, L. (2011). A typology of dairy farmer perceptions towards climate change. Climatic Change (forthcoming).
- Sutherland, L-A., Barnes, A.P., McCrum, G., Blackstock, K. and Toma, L. (2011). Towards a cross-sectoral analysis of land use decision-making: Evidence from Scotland. Landscape and Urban Planning 100 (2011) 1–10
- Barnes, A.P., Willock, J., Toma, L. and Hall, C (2011). Utilising a farmer typology to understand farmer behaviour towards water quality management: Nitrate Vulnerable Zones in Scotland. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 54 (4) 477-482
- Toma, L., Stott, A.W., Revoredo-Giha, C., Kupiec-Teahan, B. (2011). Consumers and animal welfare: a comparison between European Union countries. Appetite (in press)
- Toma, L., McVittie, A., Hubbard, C., Stott, A. (2011). A structural equation model of the factors influencing British consumers’ behaviour towards animal welfare. Journal of Food Products Marketing 17(2), 261 – 278
- Barnes, A., Willock, J., Hall, C., Toma, L., 2009. Farmer perspectives and practices regarding water pollution control programmes in Scotland. Agricultural Water Management 96(12), 1715-1722
- Toma, L., Mathijs, E., Environmental Risk Perception, Environmental Concern and Propensity to Participate in Organic Farming Programmes, Journal of Environmental Management 83(2), 2007, 145–157
Current papers under development
- Barnes, A.P. An assessment of the potential for sustainable intensification within the Scottish farming sector
- Barnes, A.P. and Shortall, O. The effect of attitudes and behaviours on farm-level efficiency
- Barnes, A.P., Islam, M.K. and Toma, L. Islands of moderation: farmers responses to climate change targets
- Toma, L., Sutherland, L-A., Barnes, A., Renwick, A., McCrum, G., Blackstock, K., 2011. Policy Implications of a Behavioural Economics Analysis of Land Use Determinants in Rural Scotland. Contributed paper. EAAE 2011 Congress ‘Change and Uncertainty Challenges for Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources August’. September 2011, Zurich, Switzerland
- Toma, L., Barnes, A., Renwick, A., 2011. Scottish dairy farmers and animal welfare – a behavioural analysis. Paper presented at the AES meeting, April 2011, Warwick
- Toma, L., Barnes, A., Renwick, A., 2010. An Analysis of Milk Quota Abolition Impact on Scottish Farmers’ Behaviour. 114th EAAE Seminar “Structural Change in Agriculture: Modeling Policy Impacts and Farm Strategies”, Berlin, Germany, April 2010