Spillover of sustainable routines: development and application of the Identity and Practice Interdependence Framework
Given the alarming consequences of climate change, addressing sustainability is imperative. The spillover of environmentally responsible behaviors and sustainable routines across different domains may serve as a powerful catalyst for achieving sustainability goals. Previous research highlights the need for better explanations of the factors that influence whether, how, and when spillover occurs. To advance understanding and support practical interventions, this cumulative dissertation (including three published papers) developed the Identity and Practice Interdependence Framework, which combines concepts from social psychology (Identity Process Theory) and sociology (Social Practice Theories). To examine how identity principles and socio-material elements interact in shaping spillover, the framework was applied to investigate the spillover of sustainable routines from the workplace to the home. The qualitative research included three focus groups (totaling 30 employees) from a major Brazilian steel-producing company, interviews in 15 employee homes, and on-site observations in both work and domestic settings. Atlas.ti was used to organize the data, and deductive reflexive thematic analysis guided the interpretation. Participants identified 58 changes in household routines regarding sustainability resulting from their workplace experiences. The framework highlighted that both the availability of socio-material components in the initial setting and the recognition of more sustainable routines as a feasible path to fulfilling identity principle needs contribute to individual engagement in performing routines sustainably in the second setting. By providing a complex and integrative perspective, Identity and Practice Interdependence Framework offers a contribution to ongoing efforts to investigate and promote sustainable behaviors and routines within and beyond organizational settings.
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