On returning to Australia in 2014 from living in Singapore, I saw many more signs of a changing climate. It was strange to me that many people did not want to acknowledge, talk about, or act to mitigate the damage. I began a Masters in Applied Ecopsychology looking into the disconnect in peoples relationships with nature, psychological responses to the current and projected scenarios, and strategies to help us to process the feelings, concerns and thoughts we had about Climate Change. I found the psychological blocks in people’s minds fascinating research, and this Ted Talk very helpful to clarify how our defense mechanisms can prevent meaningful action and what actions can aid action.
In Per Espen Stoknes’s TED Talk on “How to Transform Apocalypse Fatigue into Action on Global Warming,” he explores how psychological barriers affect people’s response to climate change. While climate science becomes increasingly clear, public motivation for action appears stagnant. Stoknes suggests that this gap results from five psychological “defense mechanisms” that keep people from acting. In his Ted Talk, he discusses these barriers, the strategies he suggests for overcoming them, and other research on how we can foster a more proactive response to climate change.
Understanding Climate Change Defense Mechanisms
Distance: Climate change feels like a distant issue. For many, it seems to affect remote places and future generations more than their immediate lives. When people see it as something affecting only polar bears or distant ice sheets, it’s easy to detach from the problem.
Doom: Messages about climate change often focus on catastrophic outcomes. Constant exposure to frightening information can lead to “apocalypse fatigue,” where people feel overwhelmed, hopeless and helpless. They tune out because they can’t see how their actions could make a difference.
Dissonance: People face a disconnect when their actions don’t align with their beliefs about climate change. An example is that someone may believe in environmental responsibility, but drive a car daily or frequently travel by air. This dissonance can lead to rationalisation, where they downplay the issue to avoid guilt or cognitive discomfort.
Denial: To avoid the discomfort associated with dissonance or doom, some people reject the reality of climate change altogether. This isn’t always outright denial of science but may involve selective attention to information that downplays the severity or urgency of the problem.
Identity: Our identity and social groups shape how we perceive information, including climate science. If environmental concern isn’t part of someone’s social group or political identity, they may dismiss climate messages to maintain social coherence. Some corporations are also spending huge amounts of money to dispel the science, deliberately create confusion or support denialists, as their business interests are threatened by action.
Overcoming These Psychological Barriers
Stoknes’s approach to addressing these barriers focuses on changing how we communicate about climate change, aiming for positive engagement rather than fear-based messaging.
Bring Climate Issues Closer to Home: Personalising climate change helps counter the “distance” barrier. By showing how climate change affects local weather patterns, health, and the economy, we can make the issue feel more immediate. Research supports using local examples and community-specific messaging to help people see the ways climate change impacts their own lives and communities.
Create Hopeful, Solution-Based Narratives: Rather than focusing on catastrophe, Stoknes advocates for solution-oriented stories. Highlighting successful innovations and community actions can inspire people to participate. Hope and efficacy are powerful motivators, and they counteract the sense of doom that often paralyses action.
Leverage Social Norms: Since people often take cues from their social environment, fostering a culture where environmental action is seen as normal can encourage widespread behavior change. Research shows that people are more likely to conserve energy or recycle when they see others doing it, especially people they know, respect and trust. This social reinforcement can be a powerful tool for making climate-friendly behaviors feel like the default setting.
Help People Align Actions with Values: To address dissonance, it's essential to offer accessible, practical steps people can take in their own lives. When climate-friendly choices are convenient and affordable—like bike-sharing programs, incentives for solar energy, or access to public transit—people are more likely to make them. This reduces the discomfort of dissonance and helps people feel they’re contributing to a larger cause.
Encourage Cross-Identity Connections: Identity is powerful, so climate solutions should be inclusive of different communities and political beliefs. Messaging that resonates with various social or political identities allows people to see climate action as part of their values, whether they identify as conservationists, business leaders, or have an affiliation with a specific political party.
Additional Strategies from Climate Psychology Research
1. Make It Tangible: Using tangible examples can help make climate change more relatable includes personal stories or visualisations of potential outcomes. This can help individuals better imagine and understand the impacts.
2. Communicate in a Positive Frame: Research in social psychology shows that people respond more favorably to messages framed as benefits rather than losses. For instance, saying “joining a carpool saves money” may be more effective than “driving alone wastes resources.”
3. Appeal to Personal Control: Giving people a sense of control and choice is crucial in promoting action. Initiatives that emphasise personal agency, like planting trees, reducing meat consumption, or supporting renewable energy, can make people feel empowered. By helping individuals connect these actions to climate outcomes, they feel part of a collective impact.
4. Normalize Future-Oriented Thinking: Encouraging a “future-oriented” mindset helps people consider the impact of their actions on future generations. Using media and education to reinforce long-term thinking can make people more likely to support policies and behaviors that benefit the environment.
By shifting the way we talk about climate change, we can overcome psychological defense mechanisms and inspire more proactive engagement. Stoknes’s strategies—making climate action relevant, hopeful, social, and aligned with personal identity—represent a hopeful blueprint for transforming “apocalypse fatigue” into meaningful action. As individuals and communities embrace these approaches, we can collectively push toward a more sustainable and resilient future.
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