Saving the climate and being happy – Can we have it all?

In this session,  Laura Weiss,  an Assistant Professor at the Social, Health and Organisational Psychology department (UU), will present a project that she conducts together with Tina Venema from the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development. The project, a collaboration with Milieu Centraal, investigates the relationship between sustainable behaviour and well-being, and the impact of different climate change communication styles.

Traditional ‘doom messages’, emphasizing the risks and perils of climate change, are often used to persuade individuals to adopt more sustainable practices. However, research on ‘fear appeals’ suggests that their impact is often short-lived, potentially leading to negative associations of climate-related information and consequently avoidance thereof. In the project, an alternative approach is examined by exploring the effectiveness of constructive ‘hope messages’ as motivators for pro-environmental behavior. The study aims to determine whether hope messages, in contrast to doom messages, can instigate positive, lasting behavioral change while simultaneously improving individuals’ well-being. By testing the effects of hope-based versus fear-based communication on mood, intention to act, memory, and attitude towards the communicator, the researchers hope to shed light on a more constructive and sustainable approach to climate communication.

The researchers will examine the role of positive framing in climate communication within a representative Dutch sample, using texts as used by Milieu Centraal. In three waves, the study will investigate the relationship between well-being and engagement with sustainable behavior. This research endeavors to uncover effective strategies that motivate individuals to act sustainably in the long term, all while prioritizing their happiness.