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Climate anxiety in our nature : Appraisal of climate anxiety and the role of nature connectedness

Wullenkord, Marlis LU orcid (2023) International conference on environmental psychology
Abstract
Global climate change has increasing effects on mental health and well-being (e.g., in the form of climate anxiety), both through direct exposure to its consequences (e.g., extreme weather) and through indirect exposure (i.e., the social representation or appraisal of climate change without direct contact to its physical consequences). To help people cope with distress due to climate anxiety, nature connectedness is suggested as one possible pathway. At the same time, mixed evidence of both a positive relation between climate anxiety and nature connectedness and absence of such a relation is accumulating. Such seemingly contradictory recommendations and findings may indicate that the constituents of climate anxiety are not well understood... (More)
Global climate change has increasing effects on mental health and well-being (e.g., in the form of climate anxiety), both through direct exposure to its consequences (e.g., extreme weather) and through indirect exposure (i.e., the social representation or appraisal of climate change without direct contact to its physical consequences). To help people cope with distress due to climate anxiety, nature connectedness is suggested as one possible pathway. At the same time, mixed evidence of both a positive relation between climate anxiety and nature connectedness and absence of such a relation is accumulating. Such seemingly contradictory recommendations and findings may indicate that the constituents of climate anxiety are not well understood yet. This research aims to increase conceptual clarity of the concept of climate anxiety as a distinct emotional response to climate change. More specifically, I will explore two questions: 1) How can appraisal theories of emotion be used to explain climate anxiety? 2) How might nature connectedness influence the appraisal pattern of climate anxiety? To address these questions, I will present findings of a literature review and conceptual framework and preliminary analyses of a sample of N=2000 participants (stratified for age, gender, and education). (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
keywords
climate anxiety, eco-anxiety, appraisal, nature connectedness, connection with nature
conference name
International conference on environmental psychology
conference dates
0001-01-02
project
Nature-based solutions at the climate-biodiversity-health nexus
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
53c0f292-a097-4c72-bce1-37fea2a312bb
date added to LUP
2023-10-20 15:52:55
date last changed
2023-10-24 15:28:10
@misc{53c0f292-a097-4c72-bce1-37fea2a312bb,
  abstract     = {{Global climate change has increasing effects on mental health and well-being (e.g., in the form of climate anxiety), both through direct exposure to its consequences (e.g., extreme weather) and through indirect exposure (i.e., the social representation or appraisal of climate change without direct contact to its physical consequences). To help people cope with distress due to climate anxiety, nature connectedness is suggested as one possible pathway. At the same time, mixed evidence of both a positive relation between climate anxiety and nature connectedness and absence of such a relation is accumulating. Such seemingly contradictory recommendations and findings may indicate that the constituents of climate anxiety are not well understood yet. This research aims to increase conceptual clarity of the concept of climate anxiety as a distinct emotional response to climate change. More specifically, I will explore two questions: 1) How can appraisal theories of emotion be used to explain climate anxiety? 2) How might nature connectedness influence the appraisal pattern of climate anxiety? To address these questions, I will present findings of a literature review and conceptual framework and preliminary analyses of a sample of N=2000 participants (stratified for age, gender, and education).}},
  author       = {{Wullenkord, Marlis}},
  keywords     = {{climate anxiety; eco-anxiety; appraisal; nature connectedness; connection with nature}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  title        = {{Climate anxiety in our nature : Appraisal of climate anxiety and the role of nature connectedness}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}