Attitudes, values, culture, social expectations and motivations all influence people's behaviors. This line of research specifically examines underlying factors that contribute to individuals' choices on whether to value environmental conservation in their decisions. One project in this area studied what antecedents were associated with farmers' choices to implement conservation practices such as no-till agriculture. Another found that farmers who have empathy for down-stream residents were more likely to protect water quality than those who did not know their down-stream neighbors. This type of research can help policy makers find alternative or additional options beyond traditional cost-sharing incentives.