How do Commitments Work? An Agent Based Simulation using Data from a Recycling Campaign in Santiago de Cuba

Diverse psychological findings were integrated in an agent based simulation model, on how situational cues affect behavior performance including the research areas of conviction-based behavior selection, norminfluences, prospective memory, habits, implementation intention and self-commitment. The model postulates, that a behavior selected for execution is the most preferred one between all remembered behavior alternatives. Whether a behavior is remembered or not depends mainly on its accessibility and habit strength. The stronger a person is committed to perform a behavior, the more certain situational cues remind and urge the person to perform it. To investigate the model time-series data was gathered on a daily base during a campaign in Santiago de Cuba promoting recycling behavior. The data confirmed the reminding and cognitive tension effect of prompts due to a commitment. Habits showed a reminding effect, but no effect on the preference. Implications of these results are discussed.