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Using Meta-Analysis in the Social Sciences to Improve Environmental Policy

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Handbook of Sustainability and Social Science Research

Part of the book series: World Sustainability Series ((WSUSE))

Abstract

Policymakers have recently looked to the social sciences for effective strategies to address environmental issues, including how to change people’s environmental behaviors. During that time, social scientists have been challenged to improve how they assess, summarize, and convey the state of environmental social science. Meta-analysis, the quantitative review of existing research using data from multiple studies, is one method researchers use to assess the state of knowledge and share best practices. Development of new data reporting standards and systems would improve not only environmental social science, but also the interface between environmental social sciences and policymakers. In particular, dynamic meta-analyses, or frequently updated meta-analyses, would ensure that policymakers have access to up-to-date findings and would allow policymakers to examine subsets of studies that best approximate relevant contexts for new policies. These new standards for conducting and reporting meta-analyses would allow environmental social scientists to more effectively inform policy, and would help policymakers understand and assess the latest developments in the field.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vanderbilt Institute of Energy and Environment and the Climate Change Research Network, Vanderbilt University, 159 Buttrick Hall, PMB 407702, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, 37240, Nashville, TN, USA

    Alexander Maki

  2. Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University, 401 21st Avenue South, 37203, Nashville, TN, USA

    Mark A. Cohen

  3. Vanderbilt University Law School, Vanderbilt University, 131 21st Avenue South, 37203, Nashville, TN, USA

    Michael P. Vandenbergh

Authors
  1. Alexander Maki
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  2. Mark A. Cohen
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  3. Michael P. Vandenbergh
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Correspondence to Alexander Maki .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Life Sciences, HAW Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

  2. Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Robert W. Marans

  3. Graham Sustainability Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    John Callewaert

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Maki, A., Cohen, M.A., Vandenbergh, M.P. (2018). Using Meta-Analysis in the Social Sciences to Improve Environmental Policy. In: Leal Filho, W., Marans, R., Callewaert, J. (eds) Handbook of Sustainability and Social Science Research. World Sustainability Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67122-2_2

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