Research summary
Clean technologies have come a long way, but many of the problems they aim to address are actually getting worse because we haven’t paid enough attention to the role of human behaviour. Dr. Stanley Asah, Canada Research Chair in Social Dimensions of Clean Technology, is trying to shed light on how human behaviour influences which technologies are adopted and why.
Asah and his research team are exploring the multiple behaviours that interact to influence the adoption, diffusion and social acceptance of clean technologies, including social impacts and clean technology justice. They are also conducting experiments to determine how behavioural strategies can address clean technology-induced counter-productive behaviours. Ultimately, their findings will lead to better strategies for encouraging people to accept and use clean technologies.