My name is Sanne Raghoebar and I am an Assistant Professor in Societal Transitions and Behavior Change at the Consumption and Healthy Lifestyles Group of Wageningen University & Research (June 2023 – now). Previously I have worked as a postdoctoral researcher at both the Consumption and Healthy Lifestyles Group and the Education and Learning Sciences Group of Wageningen University & Research (September 2020 – June 2023), where I also obtained my PhD (at the Consumption and Healthy Lifestyles Group in March 2021) on the role of physical cues in the food environment and the underlying psychological processes (focusing on social norms) by which these cues determine healthy and/or sustainable eating behavior.
Project Title
Where there are humans, there are social norms: The role of social determinants of behavior change in food transitions
Behavioral change(s) addressed
A successful food transition thus requires behavioral changes among many people. My research and education addresses the food transition by first aiming to better understand the socioecological influences affecting our dietary behaviors at the level of the individual, in order to subsequently develop and evaluate interventions aiming to accelerate such a transition towards more healthy and sustainable dietary patterns. My work is inspired by ample of studies showing that it is insurmountable to aim for successful food transitions without considering social determinants of behavior, as our behavior cannot be seen in isolation from our social contexts. Here, social determinants refer to social factors, such as social norms, that might prevent or enable changes in behavior of groups of people in desired directions.
Theoretical approach
I particularly build on and extend social norm theory, given the proven power of social norms on steering human behavior and its identification as a strong driver of transitions towards healthy and sustainable diets. I particularly study how social norms about healthy and sustainable dietary behavior are constructed and perceived among different social groups (e.g., adolescents, supermarket customers) in different settings (e.g., secondary schools, supermarkets), and subsequently can purposely be used to catalyze for change in desired directions. It is important to note that although everyone might be exposed to the same collective norms in society (such as meat consumption being the dominant norm), it is the perception of these collective norms at the individual level which ultimately constitutes one of the important determinants of behavior, and these so-called social norm perceptions may vary per individual, while being affected by socioecological influences. To thoroughly understand how behavior at the individual level is shaped and can be influenced, it is thus important to investigate this by taking the dynamic interaction with socioecological influences into account. To illustrate this, in several of my projects I unraveled how systemic changes in the presentation and availability of plant-based foods in (online) supermarkets are perceived by supermarket customers, by investigating the influence on social norm perceptions, as well as revealing their effects on actual purchasing behavior.
Empirical research strategies
As an empirical research strategy, I use a combination of mixed-methodologies, depending on the research question. For example, to gain better empirical understanding of how social norms influence changes in dietary behavior, and vice versa, a combination of both qualitative (e.g., focus groups, interviews, photo study) and quantitative (e.g., cross-sectional studies, between-subjects lab and field experiments) empirical research strategies are applied. To develop and evaluate social interventions facilitating (prolonged) behavior change, mostly quantitative empirical research strategies are utilized, such as randomized controlled trials and quasi-experiments in real-life settings.
Possibilities for inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration
My research projects are inherently interdisciplinary in nature, touching upon areas such as health, sustainability, nutrition, psychology, educational sciences and communication. To integrate the different disciplines when working on such interdisciplinary challenges, my research is conducted with an interdisciplinary team of scholars. Furthermore, given that many of my studies are conducted in naturalistic environments, transdisciplinary collaborations are often central in the development, implementation, and evaluation of my studies, including collaborations with supermarket-chains, secondary schools, policymakers and practitioners. My research thus offers plenty possibilities for inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations.
Social transition(s) addressed
I am fascinated by the notion that in a transition towards more healthy and sustainable lifestyles via our dietary choices, we can improve both individual health and contribute to planetary health. This so-called food transition is highly urgent, among others illustrated by the observation that over 820 million people globally consume low-quality diets, e.g., contributing to diet-related chronic diseases such as obesity and environmental damage such as biodiversity loss.