Beyond Education: Overcoming Psychological Barriers to Behavior Change
Friday, January 23, 2026, 10-11:30 am on Zoom
This webinar examined why education usually does not translate into behavior change and communication approaches that can improve education-focused behavior change approaches. Drawing on findings from Bridging Policy and Public Perception: Effective Communication of Shoreline Armoring Trade-offs in Coastal Communities, this talk explored key psychological barriers—including risk aversion, mistrust, distal theory, and social values—that shape how residents interpret information and make shoreline management decisions. Speakers discussed how these barriers limit the effectiveness of education-only approaches and why communication strategies must be audience-centered, place-based, emotionally informed, and delivered through trusted local messengers. Speakers used relevant programs and initiatives to highlight practical examples of how community-centered communication can better support informed and equitable coastal decision-making.
Webinar materials:
Webinar slide deck (PDF) - See Slide 23 for additional resources from our speakers (scan or click on the QR codes to access the resources)
Webinar recording (YouTube)
Speaker bios:
Allison Morgan is a social science researcher specializing in environmental sociology, marine and climate policy, and community-based climate adaptation. She holds a Master of Marine and Environmental Affairs from the University of Washington, where her thesis examined the impacts of passenger-only ferries on southern resident killer whales. As a Marc Hershman Research Fellow at the Puget Sound Institute, Allison leads qualitative research and cross- agency collaboration to strengthen communication strategies for shoreline armoring and to integrate human dimensions into natural resource recovery. Her work focuses on translating complex science into accessible, policy-relevant tools that support inclusive governance and community resilience. She is also a published researcher in antiracism scholarship and serves on the Puget Sound Partnership’s Social Science Advisory Committee.
Dr. Kyle Clifton is the Social Science Research Coordinator in Oregon State University's Human Wellbeing and Conservation Lab. She works extensively with the Puget Sound Partnership of Washington State conducting research and coordinating social science integration in Puget Sound restoration planning, implementation, and monitoring.