Communicating to Effect Behavioral Change: A Framework for Public Education Programs

Abstract

Planners are often involved in enacting public education programs designed to influence individuals' behaviors. In this paper, a new framework for public education programs is developed to encourage communication that is more persuasive, action oriented, and targeted toward altering individuals' behaviors. To critically review this framework, a study was conducted of Iowa farmers who were the targets of an education program designed to encourage the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices to protect groundwater quality. Results suggest that this framework, which is strategically developed to persuade, translate, present, and gather adaptive information from appropriate segments of the audience, enhances the likelihood of behavioral change.