APA Dictionary of Psychology

a strategy for changing behavior by altering the surroundings. For example, a community may reduce car traffic and increase the physical activity of its citizens by building pedestrian and cycling paths from residential areas to local destinations. Environmental interventions can be instituted on a smaller scale as well: For example, an environmental intervention designed to convince people to eat more healthfully may use informative posters, menu revisions, and food samples to encourage better food choices.