Editorial overview: Six messages of climate psychology

Abstract

In response to the climate emergency, psychologists have produced a surge of theoretical and empirical work on climate change over the past fifteen years. For this editorial, we outline six messages of climate psychology that emerge from this growing corpus of work. Three messages focus on how to promote sustainable behavior change among individuals: 1) harness individual motivation, 2) nurture pro-climate norms, and 3) address individual resistance. The others focus on how to support collective efforts to resist an unsustainable status quo and work together for a more sustainable future: 4) recognize collective struggles, 5) elevate transformational narratives, and 6) pursue durable peace. These messages highlight the importance of personal experiences and intergroup dynamics for understanding and addressing the climate crisis.

Keywords: Climate change; Collective action; Intergroup conflict; Interventions; Motivation; Social influence.