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GSS Environmental Communication and Behavior (summary of all readings + notes on lectures)
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Environmental communication and behavior –GEO2-2429
Course goals
1. Understand the socio-psychological aspects of environmental
problems in relation to human behavior
2. Know what type of influence strategies may be successful for
different environmental behaviors
3. Critically evaluate and develop environmental communication
strategies to bring about (environmental) behavioral change
Readings lecture 1 – chapter 1 + 2
Chapter 1 – What is environmental communication and
why is it important?
Purpose of environmental communication
- Needed to address environmental issues and shift societies toward
sustainability
- Integrated fields like engineering, economics, sociology,
governance, and psychology
- Focus is laid on communication behavior types of
communication, differences from other behaviors, and verbal vs.
nonverbal communication
Why is environmental communication necessary?
- A lot of historical environmental challenges deforestation,
pollution, biodiversity loss, climate change, ocean acidification, and
ozone depletion
2 main approaches to solving environmental problems
1. Technology-focused: develop cleaner, efficient tech without
changing behavior
- Efficient cars, alternative fuels, etc.
- Technology alone may be slow to address urgent environmental
issues
- Technophilic optimism (belief in tech solutions alone), might miss
key environmental foals
- Rebound effects Efficiency improvements lower costs, increasing
consumption + people may feel less responsible for environmental
impact when using ‘greener’ tech
- Technology alone is not enough; behavior change and
communication are also needed to address environmental issues
2. Behavior-focused: encourage people to adopt less harmful
behaviors
Environmental Economics
- Consumer goods often do not reflect their full environmental costs
- The solution to this regulations and fines, or including
environmental costs in prices (emission fees)
- Shared resources are overused when individuals prioritize personal
gain
, - Irrational economic behavior: people’s decisions can be irrational
due to framing effects choosing gains over losses depending on
presentation
- Role of communication essential for framing and conveying the
costs and benefits of sustainable choices
Environmental sociology
- Focus on interactions between society and the environment
Key topics
- Social factors causing environmental issues
- Impacts of environmental problems on society
- Solutions through societal structures and communication
Different models
- POET model: links population, organization, environment, and
technology
- Treadmill of production: economic growth model that encourages
consumerism, harming the environment
- Social practice theory: behavior arises from the interaction of
personal agency and societal structure
- Role of communication creates shared meaning and knowledge in
social practices, reinforcing behaviors
Environmental governance
- Use of regulations to guide environmental behavior
- Global: international agreements and networks (climate protocols)
- Sub-national: regional regulation for better efficiency and local
decision-making
- Market/agent-focused: economic tools to incentivize eco-friendly
choices (taxes, subsidies)
, - Role of communication key to policy negotiations,
implementation, and public support
Environmental psychology
- Examines people-environment interactions, focusing on individual
behavior
- Focus areas attention, decision-making, and behavior change
- Role of communication critical in influencing behavior and
promoting pro-environmental actions
Integrated perspectives
- Merging insights from psychology, sociology, economics, etc., can
create a well-rounded approach to environmental issues
- Model by Arnesen: proposes a combined model of individual
behavior within social contexts, incorporating norms, values, and
societal influences
Forms of communication
1. Direct person-to-person: face-to-face, rich in non-verbal cues
(body language, intonation), interactive, effective for persuasion,
but labor-intensive
2. Mediated person-to-person: technology-mediated (phone, e-mail,
etc.), lacks some non-verbal cues, more reflective but less intimate
than direct, offers a balance of reach and interaction
3. Mass media communication: through books, TV, internet, etc.,
reaches large audiences, cost-effective, limited interaction,
potentially less effective for behavior change due to lack of
personalization
Communication and environmental context
- Communication: involves the exchange of meaning via symbols,
signs, and behaviors
- Verbal includes spoken/written language; non-verbal includes body
language, intonation, gestures, cultural cues
- Environmental communication: communication specific to
environmental topics and issues
- Intended, meaningful communication that educates, alerts, and
influences sustainable behaviors, covering direct, mediated, and
mass communication
Chapter 2 – Potential limitations of environmental
communication
, Environmental communication scope
- Examines the potential for communication within structural,
technological, and policy interventions
- Considers its role in shaping public perception of environmental
issues and possible solutions across areas like shelter, food,
consumption, mobility, and leisure
- Structural changes (e.g., easier recycling options, public transit
access) often encourage pro-environmental behaviors by reducing
barriers
- Communication can help but may be ineffective if structural
barriers make behaviors too difficult
Different models
- ABC- model: environmental behavior depends on attitudes (A),
behavior (B), and context (C)
- Situational ease impacts the likelihood of behavior more than
attitudes alone
- MOA model (motivation-opportunity-ability): environmental
behaviors need opportunities, ability (knowledge/resources), and
motivation
- Communication impacts behavior most effectively when
opportunities and abilities are in place
Policy change and technological advances
- While tech solutions (energy efficient appliances) can reduce
impacts, consumer behavior still influences outcomes
- Communication helps consumers adopt and use environmentally
friendly technology effectively
- Policies can strongly influence behavior but need public support
- Communication is essential to explain policies, manage public
reaction, and ensure understanding of expected behaviors
- Communication does not just convey information; it shapes how
environmental issues are understood socially
- Social constructivist views argue communication defines problems,
constructs reality, and influences perceptions through language and
power dynamics
Behavior change prioritization
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