PEOPLE BEHAVE IRRATIONALLY TOWARDS CLIMATE CHANGE – What can we do ?

1. PEOPLE BEHAVE IRRATIONALLY TOWARDS CLIMATE CHANGE –Whatcanwedo? Marta Cullberg Weston

2. World Bank report With business as usualwewillend up in a 3-4 degreewarmer world…. For a long time politicianshavesaidthey are planning to keep the warming to 2 degrees But not much has happened… A 3-4 degreewarmer world is notsomethingwewant to live in… (Mark Lynas: ”Sixdegrees”)

3. Still peopledo not react… One problem…for a long time the wrongconceptwasused: ”global warming” whichpeople read literally… Instead it can be all sorts of erraticweatherpatterns as part of climatechange Draughts, forestfires, flooding, storms … Another problem: peopledo not know the problems of a 3- 4 degreewarmer world…

4. In the western world mostpeople ”know” aboutclimatechange butwe still do not act on our information Whatcontributes to this passivity? The mainreason is the human brain… It is not welladapted to handle diffuse threats

5. The threat from climatechange is hard for human brains to handle • Diffuse • Invisble-(If CO2 hadcolorwemighthave solved the problem already) • In the future • Distant

6. The human fear system is not adapted to modern world threats Our ”oldbrain” reacts to immediatethreats Wild animal =Action now--adrenalinflows

7. Dan Gilbert: Four ”threat”-buttons • Actorbehind the threat • Present threat • Clear actions to avoid the threat • Violates moral codes Climatechangedoes not press thesebuttons

8. Weneed to understand the challengesourbrain poses when it comes to acting on the threat from climatechange I willoutline 4 different kinds of challenges

9. Humans are not alwaysrational! • DENIAL = PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAPS • COGNITIVE TRAPS that block gooddecisionmaking • SOCIAL TRAPS that lead to unwisedecisions • ECONOMIC TRAPS that make usblindfolded

10. Climate stereotypes • ”Red herrings” = takenote

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

12. Many versions of denial • Breakfast defence–cognitivescan –emotions are dissociated--givespeace for the moment but is bad in the longrun • Diffusion of responsibility/denial of guilt(blamingothers) • Denial of the content of the threat • It is tooimprobable—it just won’thappen! cognitivescan--emotion Denial of the content of the threat al denial

13. Humans have an array of different denialmechanisms to avoidunpleasant feelings and the information that cause them. Denialhelpsusdistanceourselves from a threateningreality -- whenwethinkwecannotdoanythingabout it /whenwefeelhelpless.

14. 1. The Climaterepressor (Ostrich) ”I changechannels on TV or move on to another page in the newspaperifthere is a program or an articleaboutclimatechange.” Protectsus from anxietyshort term. Does not address the problem…maladaptive

15. 2.The climate ”comfortable” ”This is not a problem I worryabout—nature has solved thingsbefore…andnow the scientists willtakecare of the problem!” Denies the content of the threat

16. A threatwithout a clear solution (like climatechange) gives rise to unnerving feelings wewant to avoid • Fear/anxiety • Powerlessness/helplessness • Guilt…(that we are responsible)

17. American journalist/researcher John Krosnic: ”People stoppedpayingattention to climatechangewhentheyrealized that there is no easy solution for it.” Wehate to feelpowerless/vulnerable (wedid as small children— wedo not want it again) so wedeny the threat

18. Denialleads to whatpsychiatrist Robert J.Liftoncalls The absurdity of the double life We live with a disconnectbetween abstract information aboutclimatechange and howwe live ourdailylives

19. Wetend to choose a reassuring lie over Gore´sInconvenienttruth

20. Success story:Threat to ozonelayer • Quick response from lawmakers • Simple identifyabletargets --- Unfortunately to combatclimatechangeweneedmore diverse actions … Butmaybeoneway is to attack one ”enemy” /problem at a time to get started? Bill McKibben (350.com) suggests oilcompanies Sot is anotherfocus that has beensuggested

21. To bypassdenialmechanisms information needs to target emotionsand provide solutions— • Throwing arguments at peopledoes not changetheirviews.. • Threatsshould not be presentedwithoutgivinghope = show that solutions are possible • Psychology professor Timothy Wilson: ”Stories are morepowerfulthan data.”

22. To get beyonddenial • Weneed to reachpeople´s emotions withoutscaringthemtoomuch • Use new media (the Arabianspring/Obama) • Target specificgroups with ourmessage… • Tell storiespeoplecanidentify with • Describelocalchangesthat willaffectpeople’slives—break the abstract spell… it makes peoplemoremotivated • Provide solution options

23. Emotionalcommunication is key Emotions directouractions A lot of emotional information is stored withoutwords in the right brain--rightbraincommunicates in images not in words. SoI suggest using images to reachpeople.

24. A successful Vietnam war image

25. Individualdenial is increased by social denialmechanisms To talk aboutclimatechange in certain social situations (like a party) is like swearing in the church. So wedo not talk aboutit…pretend it does not exist.

26. Not onlydenialbecause of anxiety-- butresistance to give up ingrewnhabits/perks

27. In order to hold on to our habits • Denial of guilt/responsibility ”My contribution is negligable!”, ”My neighbor drives hiscar…” Wewant to keepourgoodself-image so we push the blame to others (alsobetweenstates) • Wedeny the reality of limitedresources

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

29. UU

30. 3. The life-styleaddict • I need my car! Technical research willsolve the problems of climatechange so I need not change my way of life. The small things I candowould not amount to anythinganyway… Arguments seldom work. Regulation is onewaywhen it comes to life styleresistance.

31. Weneedregulation to break life style habits • Car tolls • Carbon tax • Gasoline tax • Recycling demands In order to get these in placepoliticiansneed to act.

32. If you tellpeopletheyhave a role to play in saving the planet there must be an infrastructure to make that contribution -- e.g. recycling facilities electrical outlets for electrical cars Againdepends on the politicians

33. Incentives are alsoimportant • Good public (free) transportation • No tax on electrical cars • TV-serie—whichfamilycan live mostenvironmentallyfriendly • Cleanesttowncompetition

34. 4.The climatecynicdeniesguilt/responsibility ”Well, theremight be a change in climate… It is not my fault…Iwant to live my life to itsfullest. The effectswill come after I am gone, so whycare! I am going to live it up!” A counterphobicreaction. Does not want to get in contact with withhis/herfear.

35. Reducingdenialmechanisms Be careful not just to load it on with scaryfacts Toothreatening information canlead to total denial or apathy (The film Undergången)

36. 5. The ClimateSad/Apathetic: ”I wake up depressedevery morning.It is terrible what is happening. I feelparalyzed!” I just have to forgetabout it to function.”

37. Thus: Information needs to pointoutways to solve the problems = anxietycontrol and hope The suggestedmeasuresneed to be seen as effective= control of danger Information needs to reachpeoples’ caringemotions…grandchildren… Information needs to be supplemented by regulation and societalmeasures (smoking)

38. Denialreducingmechanisms • Reduceanxiety by giving suggestions for effective solutions • Use images to get to emotions • Whenpoliticians stop talking and take action (acceptance of the fact) • Higherprice tag on bad habits and incentives • Good rolemodels (politiciansimportant) • Stories • Show gains with new life styles • Responsibility for future generations– it is theirinheritancewespoil

39. Positive change ex: Smoking • Politicianstook action assertively (at last) • Massive information campaigns • Information in schools/youngpeople A problem with climatechange..wedo not want to scare kids intohopelessness Must givehopewhenweinformabout the threat

40. II. COGNITIVE TRAPS = leads to Irrationaldecisionmaking in humans Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky et al Many different researchers studyingour cognitivetraps/thinkingerrors Four major types of thinkingerrors

41. 1. Fixation at the present = status quo bias a) What has neverhappenedbeforecannothappen! (Jews in the ghetto) b) Problems with distant consequences-- has a hard time to sink in (smoking,cancer) c) Weadapt to gradualchanges (the frog) • System fixation (ex. neoliberal capitalism) How to inform to avoid this? Images and more.

42. 6. The status quo defence ” It is just impossible to imagine…wehaveneverseenclimatechange the way the scientists describe. It must be false alarm.”

43. 2. Biaswhenmakinguncertaindecisions • Tendency to forget risks that we lack sufficient information about or diffuse risks ( what a 2/3/4 degreetemperaturechangemeans is diffuse) • Denial of effects that happenfar off in the worldor far off in time Important with concrete information/images/ + linking to local situation (ski race)

44. 7.Climate Change Deniers= CCD:s ”Climatechange has nothing to do with humans! It is all the result of the tilting of the globetowards the sun.” ”Climatechange is a myth” Some offer a ”scientific” theory” and they are so lockedintotheirdenial/their ”scientifictruth” that it is impossible to reachthem. Theyfeelsuperior. Others are misled.

45. 3.We stick to an illusion of havingcontrol a) Sense that humans are in control b) Overestimatingtechnical solutions Informhowwecaninfluence the process = find solutions buttechnical solutions take time to develop solar fuel…a new possibility

46. 4. Wehave a tendency to anchordecisions in whatwethink is ”known” a) Nature is seen as an unlimitedresource b) People interpret information so it confirmstheirownideas. Try informingabout the number of globesneeded to fill the demands of present daylife-style.

47. How to counteractcognitiveerrors 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 a major sector Tying the world together –”the there” affects ”the here” (environmentalrefugees, food) Show alternative models of buildingsocieties Show how small changes in the economicmodelcanchangethingsaround

48. III. SOCIAL TRAPS –ANOTHER HUMAN FALLIBILITY A situation where a group of peopleact to reach a short term goal that leads to a long term loss for the group. We are actuallyingrained in a social trap right now= acting to preserveour present energyconsuminglife-style

49. 1.TRAGEDY OF THE COMMONS • GarretHardin (1968) • William Forster Lloyd (1833)

50. 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. ”