Transcript Lovely Leaves

The Psychology of Sustainability
Deborah S. Podwika, M.A., C.S.M.
Kankakee Community College
Behavior
Altruism
Prosocial behavior that is done with no expectation of
reward and may involve the risk of harm to oneself.
Eight members of the Sydney Rainforest Action Group were
convicted of unreasonable obstruction. Protesters called an
end to annual Australian imports of around 200,000 cubic
meters of Malaysian rainforest timber. The Penan, Kubu and
Bateq peoples are completely dependent on the
diminishing Borneo rainforests for their survival.
Cognition
Availability Heuristics
Estimating frequency or likelihood of an event
based on how easy it is to recall relevant
information from memory or how easy it is for us
to think of related examples.
How many species are now extinct?
What is happening to temperatures?
How much of Icebergs have melted?
What is happening to our Oceans?
Cognition
Belief Perseverance
The general public tends to hold on to what
they think they know about sustainability and
do not seek opposing facts.
The Last Mountain movie attempts to change
people’s Belief Perseverance by providing
information on the harmful effects that
blowing up mountains for coal has on people.
Cognition
Cognitive Dissonance
Emotional discomfort caused by conflicting beliefs,
morals, or ideals. People who experience this are
motivated to change something so the unpleasant
feelings go away.
Example: A person who considers themselves
“green” who travels regularly by plane might change
their belief and say “maybe I am not so green after all
or change there behavior and take a different way like
car pooling.
Cognition
Confirmation Bias
When one searches for information that
confirms one’s preconceptions.
One who does not believe in Climate Change
purposely searches for information which
states Climate Change is not real.
Behavior
Conformity
Changing one’s own behavior to more closely match
the actions of others
Jimmy drove a gas guzzling car for 10 years. His new
neighbor drives an eco-friendly car and his best
friend’s car runs on vegetable oil. The next week
Jimmy drives up with a new Hybrid.
Cognition
Delusions
A delusion is a false belief held by a person who refuses to accept evidence
of their falseness. When it deals with climate change, people may be given
evidence to prove that it is happening, but they don’t even try to accept the
truth.
People may not believe in global warming and climate changes. Even
though there is hard evidence to back it up. The film An Inconvenient Truth
showed people what was really happening to the climate of the world. It
said that before the video only about 33% believed global warming was
real, but after about 85% believed it was real. People have false beliefs and
they are delusions until they are educated on the information.
Source- http://www.takepart.com/an-inconvenient-truth/film
Cognition
Denial
One of the psychological defense mechanisms
studied by Freud’s daughter Anna Freud.
Refusal to recognize or acknowledge a
threating situation.
I don’t need to recycle there’s nothing wrong
with the environment.
I don’t need to recycle it won’t change anything.
Cognition
Diffusion of
Responsibility
Occurs when a person fails to take responsibility for
actions or for inaction because of the presence of
other people who are seen to share the
responsibility.
I live in a big neighborhood and there should be
someone recycling already. So I don’t have to
recycle.
Cognition
“Equal Status Contact”
“There is no hierarchy between groups; neither
group has power over another, they are on
equal levels”
“The richer, poorer, and all races plant a
community garden together”
Behavior
Ethical Guidelines
Codes used by people or organizations that state what
actions can and can not be done on moral grounds.
Organic farmers must follow ethical guidelines when
raising animals to make sure there living conditions
are up to Federal standards in order to be certified for
the use of an organic seal on their product, however,
non-organic farms do not .
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/ofp/ofp.shtml
Cognition
Evaluation Apprehension
Concern on how others Evaluate us
Someone may be Apprehensive that neighbors
will evaluate them if they do not recycle or
drive a sustainable vehicle etc. Or they may be
apprehensive that they are being evaluated if
they do recycle or drive a sustainable vehicle.
Cognition
Fundamental Attribution Error
Tendency for people to overestimate the
influence of another person’s internal
characteristics on behavior and underestimate
the influence of the situation.
Others do not recycle they are inconsiderate etc.
If we do not we had a darn good reason!
Behavior
Incentive Value
Incentives are things that attract or lure people
into action. Incentives can be both positive and
negative.
By getting money from recycling one would be
more likely to recycle since they are getting
rewarded. If the person was recycling and
didn’t get a reward then they may not recycle
again.
Behavior
Instant Gratification Behavior
In today’s society of “I want it now” many are not
willing to wait for the benefits of conservation
behaviors to kick in.
Many energy efficient changes are costly up front
and some don’t show a cost savings for several
years. This goes against societal Instant Gratification
Behaviors.
Behavior
Intrinsic Motivation
When one does something for no obvious
external rewards. They do it because it makes
the individual feel good.
Example: Recycling at home because you want to help
the planet and feel like you’re doing your part, rather
than only recycling items which you will be paid for
(copper, aluminum, etc.).
Behavior
Motivational Drive Theory
The force that initiates, guides, and maintains
goal-oriented behavior and causes us to take
action.
When you have the knowledge of recycling,
your motivational drive gives you the initiative
to want to recycle, to act on it, and make the
earth a better place to live.
Behavior
Observational Learning
Observational learning occurs when one views an action or
behavior being executed by another; this causes one in turn to
replicate the action.
An example of Observational Learning regarding sustainability
is when one sees reducing, reusing, recycling in the media they
then begin behaving in a more eco-friendly manner.
Cognition
Pluralistic Ignorance
A False Impression of what most other people
are thinking or feeling, or how they are
responding.
When you feel if you do not know much
about he environment than others do not or
if you do know something then others must
know as well.
Behavior
Prosocial Behavior
When the actions of people are done to
intentionally to benefit others.
People recycle so that future generations can
enjoy the planet and its resources.
Cognition
Representative Heuristics
When one believes an object or person who
shares characteristics with a member of a
category is also a member of that category.
“Tree Huggers”
“Crazy Environmentalists”
Cognition
Selective Exposure
When one seeks information and media
which agrees with their views and avoids
dissonant information.
So what new channels would one view if they
believed in Climate Change? If they did not?
Cognition
Self-Serving Bias & Attributions
People tend to perceive oneself favorably.
We tend to Attribute good behaviors to
ourselves and negative behaviors to others.
Cognition
Social Comparison
Keeping up with the Jones!
Again…neighbors begin to use disposable diapers
then you do.
Cars, Houses ETC!!!
Cognition
Stereotypes
What do people broadly think of a group?
“Tree Huggers”
“Crazy Environmentalists”
Cognition
System Justification Tendency
Tendency to believe in and justify the way
things are in their culture, especially when
comfortable. They do not want to change from
the status quo.
We like our habits!!
Cognition
Trial and Error
Problem-solving method in which one possible solution
is tried (one after another) until a successful one is
found.
The problem of running out of fossil fuels poses a
threat on our current society. Trial and error tactics
help us to strive for better, more efficient and
sustainable bio-fuels and ways of transportation.