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PEOPLE BEHAVE IRRATIONALLY TOWARDS CLIMATE CHANGE – What to do ?

PEOPLE BEHAVE IRRATIONALLY TOWARDS CLIMATE CHANGE – What to do ?. Marta Cullberg Weston. The knowledge deficit hypothesis is not the issue in the West. Most people know a fair amount but we still do not act on our information.

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PEOPLE BEHAVE IRRATIONALLY TOWARDS CLIMATE CHANGE – What to do ?

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  1. PEOPLE BEHAVE IRRATIONALLY TOWARDS CLIMATE CHANGE –What to do? Marta Cullberg Weston

  2. The knowledge deficit hypothesis is not the issue in the West Mostpeopleknow a fair amountbutwe still do not act on our information. Buttheremayverywell be importantaspectspeople do not know (e.g.tipping points) It is rather a question of how information needs to be framed to reachpeople and how to make themact.

  3. Goal? • Raiseawareness • Attitudechange • Behaviorchange

  4. Human fear system not adapted to modern world threats Our ”oldbrain” reacts to immediatethreats Wild animal =Action now--adrenalinflows

  5. Threatresponses: 3 F • FIGHT • FLIGHT • FREEZE • Denial

  6. The threat from climatechange is hard for humans to handle • Diffuse /invisble /in the future/ distant • No oneclear action that solves the problem

  7. Threat to ozonelayer • Quick response from lawmakers • Simple identifyabletargets Success story

  8. ”Global warming” muddied the water • Climatechangemorecorrect • Sustainabledevelopment –diffuse term for many…

  9. Human beings are not rational • Scaringpeoplewill not work well • Fear (whenwesee no way to fight it) maylead to apathy= a feeling that nothingcan be done

  10. The human dilemma • OSTRICH PATTERNS (denialmechanisms) • COGNITIVE TRAPS that block gooddecisions • SOCIAL TRAPS that lead to unwisedecisions • ECONOMIC TRAPS that make usblindfolded

  11. A threatwithout a clear solution gives rise to unnerving feelings wewant to avoid • Fear/anxiety • Powerlessness/helplessness/apathy • Guilt…(that we are responible) Humans have an array of different denialmechanisms to avoidthoseunpleasant feelings and the information that cause them

  12. 1. The DenialMechanisms Different ways to shutoureyes (If you put your head in the sand you knowsomething is wrong)

  13. Many versions of denial • Breakfast defence–cognitivescan--emotionaldenial--givepeace for the moment but bad in the longrun • Diffusion of responsibility/denial of guilt(blamingothers) • Denial of the content of the threat • Impossible to affect/willtakecare of itself • Technical solutions willhandle it • It just won’thappen! cognitivescan--emotion Denial of the content of the threat al denial

  14. You canrecognize • Stanley Cohen: literaldenial/interpretivedenial (spin) /implicatorydenial • Opotov & Weiss: denial of outcome and severity; denial of self-involvement • Morris Rosenberg: Selectiveperspectives (to keepunpleasant feelings at bay) Denialhelpsusdistanceourselves from the threateningreality--whenwethinkwecannotdoanythingabout it)

  15. John Krosnic: ”People stoppedpayingattention to global climatechangewhentheyrealized that there is no easy solution for it.” Wehate to feelpowerless/vulnerable (wedid as small children— wedo not want it again)

  16. Leads to what Robert J.Liftoncalls The absurdity of the double life ”The Nazi Doctors” We live with a disconnectbetween abstract information and everyday life in order to go on with daily life

  17. Information needs to be combinedwith solutions ! • Target specificgroups • Provide solutions • Target emotions to bypassdenialmechanisms

  18. Emotionalcommunicationimportant Emotions directouractions. A lot of emotional information is stored withoutwords in the right brain--rightbraincommunicates in images not in words. That is whyI suggest using images to reachpeople –as you mayhavenoticed.

  19. Successful Vietnam war image

  20. Todays world --Informationoverload • Good at screening messages • Need to reachpeople´s emotions • Inventivestorytelling • Use new media (the Arabianspring/Obama) • Target specificgroups…

  21. Psychologicaldenial is increased by social denialmechanisms (examples in Norgaard) To raise the issue of climatechange in certain social situations is like swearing in the church. ”Wecannot dig ourselvesinto a hole” The asceticdogmacanscaremanypeopleoff… (taking the caraway from people= ”no way”)

  22. PEER SUPPORT • To get around the social pressure—important to have a peer group where you support eachother and findways to work with climatechange in ways that feelsworthwhile (alleviatespowerlessness)

  23. 1B. Not onlydenialbecause of anxiety-- butresistance to relinquishingrewn habits

  24. Holding on to our habits • Denial of guilt/responsibility (blame is not effective) • Want to keepourgoodself-image • Pushingblame to others (betweenstates) • ”My contribution is negligable!”, ”My neighbor drives hiscar…” • Deniesreality of limitedresources

  25. Breakingold habits takes special compliancemechanisms • Regulation • Economic cost (cartolls) Incentives: • TV-serie—whichfamilycan live mostenvironmentallyfriendly • Cleanesttowncompetition

  26. Mark Lynas: The whole of Western society is based on denialmechanisms -- i.e. denial of the world´slimitedresources

  27. How to reducedenialmechanisms The solution is not more information per se---buthow information is given. Toothreatening information canlead to total denial (The film Undergången) The information must pointoutrealistic solutions We must overcome habit hurdles by forcingchange of actionsthroughregulation and a price tag or incentives.

  28. Information needs to pointoutways to solve the problems = anxietycontrol The suggestedmeasuresneed to be seen as effective= control of danger Information needs to be supplemented by regulation Information needs to be supplemented by societalmeasures

  29. If you tellpeopletheyhave a role to play in saving the planet there must be an infrastructure to make that contribution -- e.g. recycling facilities • Addressspecificissues so you do not overwhelm your audience… • Storytelling a way to reachpeople…

  30. Denialreducingmechanisms • Reduceanxiety by giving suggestions for effective solutions Robert Socolow and Stephen Pacala’spieces of the cake • Use images to get to emotions • Stop talking—take action (acceptance of the fact) • Higherprice tag on bad habits/ Incentives • Good rolemodels (politiciansimportant) • Discussion of life styles— gains with new style • Responsibility for futuregenerations--theirinheritance

  31. Positive change ex: Smoking • Politicianstook action assertively (at last) • Massive information campaigns • Information in schools/youngpeople • Problem with climatechange..do not want to scare the youngintohopelessness/ denial • Do not want to pass on ourburden to them

  32. II. COGNITIVE TRAPS = IRRATIONAL DECISIONMAKING Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky et al (many different researchers) Cognitivetraps/cognitivebias /mental errors Five major types of cognitivetraps

  33. CT 1. Fixation at the present = status quo bias a) What has neverhappenedbeforecannothappen! (Jews in the ghetto) b) Problems with long term decisions/ distant consequenceshave a hard time to sink in (smoking) c) Problems with gradualchanges (the frog) • System fixation (ex. liberal capitalism) How to inform to avoid this? Images and more.

  34. CT2. Biaswhenmakinguncertaindecisions • Tendency to underestimate situations with lowprobablility (risk analysisfaulty) • Tendency to forget risks that you lack sufficient information about / diffuse risks ( 2 degreetemperaturechange diffuse – Mark Lynas 6 degrees. Tipping points — irreversible processes) • Denial of effects that happenfar offgeographicallyor far off in time Important with concrete information/images/ + linking to local situation (Vasa ski race)

  35. CT3. Cognitivetraps in estimatingprobablility You make the estimate of the futureprobability of a situation based on howwell you canperceive it. Changes in climate are hard to show in easilygraspedfacts Important with images+ show what is happening wherepeople live (local information)

  36. CT4.Illusion of havingcontrol a)Overestimatingtechnical solutions b) Sense that humans are in control Informhowwenowcaninfluence the process =find solutions Technical solutions take time to develop

  37. CT5.Anchoring decisions in what is ”known” a) Nature seen as an unlimitedresource b) Interpreting the information so it confirmspeople’sownideas. Information with number of globesneeded to fill the demands + breaking up set ideas.

  38. How to counteractcognitivebiases Images of glaciers / polar bears Mark Lynas’ 6 degrees — concretizing Environmentalfootprint /number of worlds Reports of consequences for own country/ community+ plans to counteract the problems Action programs for many different sectors-(Socolovs och Pacalaspieces of cake) Tying the world together –”the there” affects ”the here” (environmentalrefugees, food) Be careful with scientific ”probablilities”–excuses Show alternative models of buildingsocieties Show how small change in economicmodelcanchangethingsaroundand more….

  39. III. SOCIAL TRAPS A situation where a group of peopleact to reach a short term goal that leads to a long term loss for the group. A gooddescription of whatwe are doing right now—we are in a real social trapacting to preserveour present energyconsuminglife-style

  40. III. SOCIAL TRAPS Examples: • The tunnelvision of the ant • The tragedy of the commons • The fate of Easter Island

  41. ST1. THE TUNNELVISION OF THE ANT Building on ourownlittlehomeoblivious of whatgoes on aroundus. TV programs abouthomemakeover EviatarZerubavel: social organization of denial How to get through?

  42. ACTIONS • LOOK UP— SCARE JUST ENOUGH • RESONSIBILITY FOR GRANDCHILDREN • OPPORTUNITY FOR BETTER LIFESTYLE • Incentives: TV-series: Livingenvironmentallyfriendly-making it a competition New suggestions?

  43. ST2.TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS • GarretHardin (1968) • William Forster Lloyd (1833)

  44. GARRET HARDIN: ”Ruin is the destination toward which all men rush, each pursuing his own best interest in a society that believes in the freedom of the commons. ”

  45. The tragedy of the unregulatedcommons Elinor Ohstrom: With regulation this kind of trapcan be avoided – peoplecanstipulateways to share ”a commons” At the globelevelhoweveranotherissue --nosufficientregulatorybody

  46. ST3. Fate of the Easterisland Similar to the tragedy of the commons = Depletion of limitedresourcesleads to catastrophy

  47. WE HAVE NOT REALIZED THAT OUR PLANET IS A LIMED RESOURCE BASE Economic system has seennature’sresources as goods to be exploited Need a new perspective= ifwewant part of ourcommonheritagewehave to pay for it –and takecare to restore

  48. 4. Economic trap Maximization of gainwithout takingenvironmentalcostsintoaccount =Faultyequation New thinkingwithineconomicsneeded

  49. Peter Barnes: (Capitalism 3.0) Tragedy of the market We are lockedinto an economictheorywhereeach business is supposed to maximizeits profit – independent of the cost for the environment.

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