Nemo
Collecting multimodal data on pro-environmental intentions, behavior, and movement.
The NEMO Project is an interdisciplinary collaboration between HUBS, the Departments of Psychology and Communication Sciences (Faculty of Social Sciences, UvA), the Informatics Institute (Faculty of Natural Sciences, UvA), and the Strategic Communication Group at Wageningen University. This collaboration was made possible through funding by Polder Center, an initiative of Institute for Advanced Studies (IAS). Additionally, this research was conducted at Science Live, the long-standing research programme of NEMO Science Museum that enables scientists to carry out real, publishable, peer-reviewed research using NEMO visitors as volunteers. Science Live is partially funded by KNAW.
The conceptualisation of NEMO is centered around two goals:
Firstly, the collection of movement data to further calibrate our pedestrian model (see M4MA) by tracking X and Y coordinates of participants.
Movement data was used to calibrate the pedestrian model of M4MA.
Image credits: HUBS
Secondly, the execution of an experiment measuring sustainability awareness, intentions, and behavior related to the problem of plastic pollution. Secondly, the investigation of how different message types could affect pro-environmental behaviour measured as sustainability awareness, intentions, and actual behaviour related to the problem of plastic pollution.
The experiment took place in a specially designated lab at the NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam.
Image credits: NEMO Science Museum Amsterdam
The experiment was set up during the autumn school-holidays in October 2022 at the NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam. In a timeframe of two weeks, a total of 524 children and adolescents between the ages of 8 and 16 years participated. A specifically designated space at the museum served as the experimental lab, in which data collection took place in the form of a game.
Equipped with instructions and movement sensors, participants engaged in a game answering questionnaires and moving from station to station.
Image credits: HUBS (top), Julia Helmich (bottom left and right)
At the beginning of the experiment, participants watched one of three movie clips, containing different messages on plastic pollution: (i) <info movement>, (ii) <info movement + info plastic pollution>, (iii) info movement + info plastic pollution + self efficacy measure. The intention behind this procedure was to investigate whether certain messages would promote pro-environmental behavior. Subsequently, each participant was equipped with a wearable sensor, tracking their movement. Following, participants moved between eight stations, filling in digital questionnaires on tablets. Each questionnaire measured either awareness, affect, behavioral intentions, or virtual behavior surrounding the topic of plastic pollution, followed by instructions to move to another station.
After completing all questionnaires, participants received their gifts and an official certificate.
Image credits: HUBS (left), Julia Helmich (right).
For completing the tasks at a station the adolescents received coins, which they could use at the end of the experiment to either purchase up to four gifts (pen, keychain, slap wrap, or eraser) or to donate from 25 cents to 1€ to the Plastic Soup Foundation. While the pen was a most popular gift, children and adolescents donated a total of 382,75€ to the good cause. This amount is donated to the Plastic Soup Foundation.
As the data collection has been finished, we are working on the analysis and will keep you posted on the results. We are also excited to announce that a documentary about the project is being created and will be available shortly. Meanwhile, please visit our twitter here and here for more information on the process. You can also find a short teaser clip below.
Movie credits: Julia Helmich.