Norms and climate change adaptation behaviour: a systematic literature review using TCCM framework and future research agenda

The growing frequency of adverse climate events makes promoting climate change adaptation behaviours (CCAB) among individuals and vulnerable communities such as farmers a policy imperative. Norms significantly influence CCAB, yet no review has synthesized how policy can account for and leverage these influences. We systematically reviewed 57 studies using SPAR-4-SLR process and Theory, Constructs, Contexts, and Methods (TCCM) framework to synthesize findings, identify policy implications, reveal research gaps, and propose future research directions. The review found that the impact of norms on CCAB is context-dependent. Injunctive and descriptive norms can both facilitate and hinder CCAB. Descriptive norms not only directly affect CCAB, they also influence efficacy and risk perceptions affecting adoption. Personal norms show a relatively weak effect; however, they may be crucial for overcoming low descriptive norms and encouraging high-cost CCABs. The Global South is represented fairly in research on farmers but not on individuals. The significant lack of experimental studies limits our understanding of how to effectively leverage norms for interventions. The findings underscore that while CCAB policy must account for normative factors to be effective, closing the research gaps is critical for advancing our understanding of how norms could be effectively leveraged to support global adaptation efforts.