Behavioural Science of Upcycling
: Tuominen, Jarno
: Mezei, Péter; Härkönen, Heidi
: 1
: 2026
: The Cambridge Handbook of Intellectual Property and Upcycling
: Cambridge Law Handbooks
: 348
: 360
: 978-1-009-68510-8
: 978-1-009-68507-8
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009685078
Slowing down and mitigating the impact of climate change necessitates changes to individual behaviour in a multitude of realms. While reducing resource waste in the production process and consuming less are essential, it is also necessary to increase resource reuse with both effective re- and upcycling. However, relatively little is known about the determinants of upcycling behaviour. In this chapter, the literature on the identified psychological and social drivers is reviewed. A broader reading of behavioural determinants for green behaviour change is used to outline possible pathways for behaviour change still untested in a scientific setting in the context of upcycling. The chapter concludes with a critical review on the relative impact of both up- and recycling compared to their perceived effectiveness. Potential ways increase the likelihood of effective reuse while also reducing overall resource use are considered from a social norms perspective.
behavioral sciences, nudge, upcycling