Although researchers have tried to explain why individuals are unwilling to sort waste, few studies focus on whether and how ego-depletion can inhibit an individual from separating waste. Here, we investigate the effectiveness of financial incentives in mitigating the impact of ego-depletion, a phenomenon triggered by demanding tasks that subsequently impair task performance. Experiment 1 revealed that when participants were involved in a task that expended substantial effort and energy in an initial task, they were more likely to discontinue a subsequent waste sorting task. Experiment 2, however, demonstrated a significant shift when financial incentives were introduced. Even in states of high depletion, the promise of financial rewards substantially increased participants’ perseverance in waste sorting. These findings not only reveal the influence of ego-depletion as a barrier to effective waste sorting but also highlight the practical potential for policymakers and environmental practitioners to motivate individuals through appropriate incentives. By addressing psychological factors (i.e., ego-depletion) and integrating incentives, this research contributes to more sustainable waste management practices.

尽管研究人员试图解释为什么个人不愿意对垃圾进行分类，但很少有研究关注自我损耗是否以及如何抑制个人对垃圾进行分类。在这里，我们研究了经济激励在减轻自我损耗影响方面的有效性，这种现象是由高要求的任务引发的，随后会损害任务绩效。实验 1 显示，当参与者参与一项在初始任务中花费大量精力和精力的任务时，他们更有可能停止后续的垃圾分类任务。然而，实验 2 证明了引入经济激励措施后发生了重大转变。即使在资源严重枯竭的情况下，经济奖励的承诺也大大提高了参与者进行垃圾分类的毅力。这些发现不仅揭示了自我损耗作为有效废物分类障碍的影响，而且还强调了政策制定者和环境从业者通过适当的激励措施激励个人的实际潜力。通过解决心理因素（即自我损耗）和整合激励措施，这项研究有助于实现更可持续的废物管理实践。