I would agree with Andy and Margaret. I sent this out to a couple
folks already, but I was interested to see the study below -
although not too startling (or novel) to hear the greatest barriers
to mitigating climate change are psychological -
Cheers -- Carlyn Buckler
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009
Contact: Audrey Hamilton
(202) 336-5706 until Aug. 5
(416) 585-3800 – Aug. 5-9
[email protected]
Or Pam Willenz
(703) 403-7026 cell
PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS HELP EXPLAIN SLOW REACTION TO GLOBAL WARMING,
SAYS APA TASK FORCE
Report Urges Psychologists to Play Larger Role in Limiting Climate
Change Effects
TORONTO –
While most Americans think climate change is an important issue, they
don’t see it as an immediate threat, so getting people to “go green”
requires policymakers, scientists and marketers to look at
psychological barriers to change and what leads people to action,
according to a task force of the American Psychological Association.
Scientific
evidence shows the main influences of climate change are behavioral –
population growth and energy consumption. “What is unique about
current global climate change is the role of human behavior,” said
task
force chair Janet Swim, PhD, of Pennsylvania State University .
“We must look at the reasons people are not acting in order to
understand how to get people to act.”
APA’s
Task Force on the Interface Between Psychology and Global Climate
Change examined decades of psychological research and practice that
have been specifically applied and tested in the arena of climate
change, such as environmental and conservation psychology and research
on natural and technological disasters. The task force presented its
findings at APA’s 117th Annual Convention in Toronto in a report
that was accepted by the association’s governing Council of
Representatives.
The
task force’s report offers a detailed look at the connection between
psychology and global climate change and makes policy recommendations
for psychological science.
It cites a national Pew Research Center poll
in which 75 percent to 80 percent of respondents said that climate
change is an important issue. But respondents ranked it last in a list
of 20 compelling issues, such as the economy or terrorism. Despite
warnings from scientists and environmental experts that limiting the
effects of climate change means humans need to make some severe
changes
now, people don’t feel a sense of urgency. The task force said
numerous
psychological barriers are to blame, including:
Uncertainty – Research has shown that uncertainty over climate
change reduces the frequency of “green” behavior.
Mistrust – Evidence shows that most people don’t believe the risk
messages of scientists or government officials.
Denial –
A substantial minority of people believe climate change is not
occurring or that human activity has little or nothing to do with it,
according to various polls.
Undervaluing Risks –
A study of more than 3,000 people in 18 countries showed that many
people believe environmental conditions will worsen in 25 years. While
this may be true, this thinking could lead people to believe that
changes can be made later.
Lack of Control – People believe their actions would be too small to
make a difference and choose to do nothing.
Habit –
Ingrained behaviors are extremely resistant to permanent change while
others change slowly. Habit is the most important obstacle to
pro-environment behavior, according to the report.
The
task force highlighted some ways that psychology is already working to
limit these barriers. For example, people are more likely to use
energy-efficient appliances if they are provided with immediate
energy-use feedback. Devices that show people how much energy and
money
they’re conserving can yield energy savings of 5 percent to 12
percent,
according to research. “Behavioral feedback links the cost of energy
use more closely to behavior by showing the costs immediately or daily
rather than in an electric bill that comes a month later,” said Swim.
Also,
some studies have looked at whether financial incentives can spur
people to weatherize their houses. The research has shown that
combined
strong financial incentives, attention to customer convenience and
quality assurance and strong social marketing led to weatherization of
20 percent or more of eligible homes in a community in the first year
of a program. The results were far more powerful than achieved by
another program that offered just financial incentives.
The
task force identified other areas where psychology can help limit the
effects of climate change, such as developing environmental
regulations, economic incentives, better energy-efficient technology
and communication methods.
“Many
of the shortcomings of policies based on only a single intervention
type, such as technology, economic incentives or regulation, may be
overcome if policy implementers make better use of psychological
knowledge,” the task force wrote in the report.
The
task force also urged psychologists to continue to expand that
knowledge. Environmental psychology emerged as a sub-discipline in the
early 20th century
but didn’t really gain momentum until the 1980s, according to the
report. But the task force said studying and influencing climate
change
should not be left to a sub-discipline; many different types of
psychologists can provide an understanding of how people of different
ages respond to climate change. “The expertise found in a variety of
fields of psychology can help find solutions to many climate change
problems right now,” Swim said. “For example, experts in community and
business psychology can address the behavioral changes necessary as
businesses and nonprofits adapt to a changing environment.”
Invited Address: “Report of the APA Task Force on Psychology and
Global Climate Change,” Janet Swim, PhD, Pennsylvania State
University ,The N Session: 2305, 3:00 – 3:50 PM, Friday, Aug. 7,
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building – Level 200,
Meeting Room 201 E.
Discussion: “APA
Task Force on Psychology and Global Climate Change—Perspectives of
Task
Force Members,” Susan D. Clayton, PhD, College of Wooster, Thomas J.
Doherty, PsyD, Lewis and Clark College, Robert Gifford, PhD,
University
of Victoria, George Howard, PhD, University of Notre Dame, Janet K.
Swim, Pennsylvania State University, Session: 2352, 4:00-4:50 PM,
Friday, Aug. 7, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building –
Level 100, Meeting Room 103B
Members of the APA Task Force on the Interface Between Psychology
and Global Climate Change:
Chair: Janet K. Swim, PhD, Pennsylvania State University
Susan Clayton, PhD, College of Wooster
Thomas Doherty, PsyD, Lewis and Clark College
Robert Gifford, PhD, University of Victoria
George Howard, PhD, University of Notre Dame
Joseph Reser, PhD, Griffith University
Paul Stern, PhD, National Academies of Science
Elke Weber, PhD, Columbia University
Full text of the APA task force report is available from the APA
Public Affairs Office and athttp://www.apa.org/releases/climate-change.pdf
-
The American Psychological Association, in Washington , D.C. , is
the largest scientific and professional organization representing
psychology in the United States and
is the world’s largest association of psychologists. APA’s membership
includes more than 150,000 researchers, educators, clinicians,
consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of
psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian
provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science,
as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and
human
welfare.
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