Other people's behaviour acts as a cue for what to do, buy, or believe.
More quotesThe graffiti condition produced 69 per cent littering. The clean alley produced 33 per cent. Same unwanted advert, same bicycles, same absence of bins.
The setting supplied evidence about what people did there. A conduct policy can say one thing while abandoned trolleys, unanswered abuse or a senior person ignoring the rule provide a more immediate account of the local standard.
Warnings can worsen this. “Thousands litter here” condemns the behaviour and advertises its popularity in the same sentence. Where a truthful majority behaves well, state that. Where it does not, inventing a wholesome norm merely adds dishonesty to the mess.
Visible disorder also has practical causes. Painting over graffiti while leaving the nearest bin far away turns tidiness into theatre. Repair the breach and make the desired action feasible: place the bin where the choice occurs, answer the abuse, fix the broken return point.
The alley is cleaned and a bin is installed beside the bicycles. Another batch of adverts is attached to the handlebars. Researchers count what happens next, including papers carried away and papers placed in the bin. The result may isolate the signal, the convenience or some combination. The shopping centre still has to explain why every cyclist received an advert they never requested.