“The change we seek should start with us”: A qualitative analysis of perceptions and causes of littering in the Gambia

Abstract

Waste pollution is a major global problem. Africa is particularly affected owing to infrastructural deficits and the rapidly increasing use of nondegradable materials such as plastics in everyday life. Littering is widespread in many sub-Saharan African countries and contributes to the pollution problem. Psychological research about the factors that explain littering in Africa is scarce. Therefore, we aimed at providing a deeper understanding of littering behavior, its causes, and the role of social norms in the Gambia. We applied a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured face-to-face interviews (N = 18) to explore inhabitants’ perceptions of the problem. In a reflexive thematic analysis, we identified four main themes to describe littering causes: infrastructure and facilities; awareness and education; attitude and mentality, and social norms and law. The findings suggest that littering persists because of a combination of all these factors. Yet, social norms and the societal framework play a decisive role. Initially, the present negative descriptive norm hinders change. In addition—and maybe even more importantly—a restriction of individuals` feelings of responsibility in public spaces seems to prevent the expression of social pressure against littering and therefore the desired improvement in litter control. Further research is needed to investigate how a shared sense of responsibility could be established and utilized for a cleaner and healthier environment.