Work

Psychological distance: How to make climate change less abstract and closer to the self

Year: 2021

Type: review

Abstract: Scientists have been warning the world of the threatening consequences of climate change for decades. Yet, only a few countries have made climate change mitigation a priority. One of the chief issues regarding climate change is its abstractness: consequences for the collective in the long-term are much more abstract than consequences for the self in the here-and-now. To combat climate change, individuals, communities, and governments must work together to reduce the psychological distance of climate change and designate the future of the planet as the prime concern.

Source: Current Opinion in Psychology

DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.03.011

Authors: Paul A.M. Van Lange, Anna L. Huckelba

Institutions: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Umeå University

Language: English

Topic: Climate Change Communication and Perception

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Climate action

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,920