Climate psychology

Climate psychology is a field that aims to further our understanding of our psychological processes' relationship to the climate and our environment. It aims to study both how the climate can impact our own thoughts and behaviors, as well as how our thoughts and behaviors impact the climate. This field often focuses on climate change, both in our reaction to it and how our behaviors can be changed in order to minimize the impact humanity has on the climate. These behavior changes include: engaging with the public about climate change, contributing at a personal, communal, cultural and political level by supporting effective change through activists, scientists, and policy makers, and finally nurturing psychological resilience to the destructive impacts climate change creates now and in the future.[1][2]

Climate psychology includes many subfields and focuses including: the effects of climate change on mental health, the psychological impact of climate change, the psychological explanation of climate inaction, and climate change denial. Climate psychology is a sub-discipline of environmental psychology.

  1. ^ "Pursuing a Career in Climate and Environmental Psychology". www.apa.org. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  2. ^ "What is Climate Psychology?". www.climatepsychologyalliance.org. Retrieved 2024-09-22.