Report Issued on Psychology of Climate Change

There are psychological reasons why the majority of US citizens are not reacting to the demands of climate change, according to a group of US psychologists.  These include denial, a failure to invest trust and plain uncertainty, the group - representing the American Psychological Association - stated at its own yearly meeting which took place in Canada at the beginning of August 2009.

As a consequence, lawmakers, researchers and commercial organisations alike all need to assess these factors and try to stimulate a wider public reaction, it added.

Psychology of Climate Change

The APA’s task force referred to the results of a study on the psychology of climate change carried out by Washington-based think tank the Pew Research Center, which compiles data on issues affecting people worldwide.  According to this study, while up to 80 per cent of US residents recognise the importance of climate change, overall, they would rank it below terrorism, the economy and 17 other pertinent modern-day issues.

And, although the scientific community is pressing for urgent action to fight climate change (lowering emissions, monitoring carbon footprints, implementing energy efficient technologies, etc), “people don’t feel a sense of urgency”, according to the APA.

Climate Change Psychology

Multiple factors are involved within the negative aspects of climate change psychology, the association said, among them:

• A failure to trust the government’s/ scientific community’s climate change warnings
• An uncertainty over climate change itself
• A failure to identify the human causes of climate change and to recognised cause-and-effect
• A failure to comprehend the entire spectrum of dangers associated with climate change

Climate Change Behaviour

Another recent climate change behaviour study carried out across a number of countries highlighted a wide belief that the environment would deteriorate with the coming 25 years.  The results of the same study implied that, in some cases, this was far enough ahead to not warrant immediate action.

Above all, though, habit is the prime motivator behind the failure to adopt environmentally friendly tactics and strategies on a personal level.  However, said the association, habits can alter, especially when there are financial incentives attached, and/or the benefits of using energy efficient technologies are quickly evident.