Q Step Summer Research Projects 2017
Project leader / Supervisor
Email
Project Title
Dr Viktoria Spaiser
[email protected]
Smartphone data collection in a field-experimental setup to study
environmental behaviour
ESSL-08-VS
School of Politics and International Studies
Project reference
Location of Placement
Brief overview of project (including whether it involves quantitative or qualitative research)
This research project is a small pilot study designed to test and ultimately optimise a
methodological approach where smartphones are used to collect behavioural data in a fieldexperimental setup to study environmental behaviour (transport, energy consumption, food &
goods consumption, waste behaviour) in everyday life. The two field-experimental interventions to
be implemented are (1) behavioural targeting (based on nudge theory) where the past behaviour of
study participants is analysed to give individualised tips of how the participants can adopt a more
sustainable behaviour and (2) social monitoring (based on social influence theory) where the study
participants can monitor each other’s behaviour (anonymised). The goal is to test whether the fieldexperimental interventions lead to behavioural change.
The project offers the opportunity for a student to develop their quantitative research skills,
especially they will learn how to design and implement a field experiment and how smartphones
can be used to collect behavioural data. After the data collection, the placement holder will be
involved in processing and analysing the data quantitatively and in creating visualisations of the
main study results. The successful applicant will thus learn about the new forms of data that can be
collected via digital devices (e.g. GPS coordinates, barcode scans, etc.) and how such data can be
processed and analysed. At the end of the placement the student will write together with the project
leader a blog post and create a podcast to showcase key research project results.
Links to external organisation/s (if relevant)
N/A. The research will be based within the School of Politics and International Studies.
Nature of tasks to be pursued by the placement holder (and quantitative/qualitative research
skills to be developed)
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Recruiting study participants (N=20) among University of Leeds students
Monitoring smartphone-based data collection process
Conducting pre- and post-field-experiment survey with study participants
Processing smartphone data in R (incl. constructing indices)
Analysing (treatment effect analysis) smartphone & survey data in R
Visualising analysis results in R (incl. geospatial visualisation and analysis of GPS data)
Writing up & presenting main results (report, blog, podcast)
Learning Opportunities:
 Field experimental approach & design
 Data collection via smartphones
 Quantitative data analysis
 Teamwork
 Time management
Q Step Summer Research Projects 2017
 Reporting research findings
 Presenting research findings to lay audience
 Increased understanding of research environment
 Awareness of ethical research aspects (e.g. big data & privacy)
 Involvement in a pilot study in preparation for a research funding bid
Nature of contact with / support for placement holder from staff member
The placement holder will meet Dr Spaiser prior to commencing the project and at the end of the
project. Moreover, Dr Spaiser will meet with the post holder on a regular basis (at least two times a
week) throughout the project and will provide additional support via email and telephone. Written
and oral feedback will be provided on the research outputs .