Attitudes matter: Measuring the intention-behaviour gap in built heritage conservation

This research applies the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to measure the gap between designers' intentions towards heritage conservation and the actual design decisions. It aims at contributing to identify which psychological constructs (attitude, norm, perception of control) are hindering the implementation of sustainable conservation approaches in practice. The results suggest that attitudes have a significant correlation with performed behaviour, and that norms, despite impacting intentions, do not necessarily correlate with the performed actions. Using the TPB to analyse designers' behaviours is an innovative methodological approach that opens new possibilities for the design of interventions targeting behavioural change towards the implementation of sustainable conservation practices in built heritage.

Automated summary

This study uses the Theory of Planned Behaviour to analyze the gap between designers' intentions and actual design decisions in heritage conservation, finding that attitudes significantly correlate with behavior while norms may not necessarily influence actions. Applying TPB to analyze designers' behaviors is an innovative methodological approach that opens up new possibilities for interventions targeting behavioral change towards sustainable conservation practices.