Coping with global environmental change and the emotions it evokes : considering the role of empathy
Wullenkord, Marlis LU
and Johansson, Maria
LU
(2025)
International Conference on Environmental Psychology
- Abstract
- Introduction: The climate and biodiversity crises are interconnected, unprecedented, existential threats that cause disturbing emotions, such as anxiety, grief, and anger. While there is increasing research about antecedents and outcomes of such eco-emotions, less is known about how to cope with them constructively, to benefit both mental health and pro-environmental action.
Objectives: This study aimed to understand the role of empathy in private conversations about global environmental change as a way of constructive coping. More specifically, we investigated in how far the experience of empathy might buffer from more detrimental consequences of uncomfortable eco-emotions (i.e., impairments in mental health) and might enable... (More) - Introduction: The climate and biodiversity crises are interconnected, unprecedented, existential threats that cause disturbing emotions, such as anxiety, grief, and anger. While there is increasing research about antecedents and outcomes of such eco-emotions, less is known about how to cope with them constructively, to benefit both mental health and pro-environmental action.
Objectives: This study aimed to understand the role of empathy in private conversations about global environmental change as a way of constructive coping. More specifically, we investigated in how far the experience of empathy might buffer from more detrimental consequences of uncomfortable eco-emotions (i.e., impairments in mental health) and might enable pro-environmental action.
Materials and Methods: We invited a random sample of N=7000 adults in the South of Sweden to participate in the study.
Results: Using multiple regression analysis, we found that the more people talked about global environmental change and the more they talked about their emotions in those conversations, the more pro-environmental action they engaged in. Furthermore, empathic understanding emerged as a moderator for some eco-emotions, i.e., strong emotions for which participants received empathy were associated with stronger pro-environmental action. Interestingly, none of the considered variables predicted mental health.
Conclusion: We discuss these results and suggest implications for constructive coping with eco-emotions. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/ef7ab3db-e333-45c6-b516-fcb284653337
- author
- Wullenkord, Marlis
LU
and Johansson, Maria
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025
- type
- Contribution to conference
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Climate change, Biodiversity, Biodiversity loss, Eco-emotions, Eco-anxiety, Empathy, Pro-environmental behavior, Pro-environmental action
- conference name
- International Conference on Environmental Psychology
- conference location
- Vilnius, Lithuania
- conference dates
- 2025-06-15 - 2025-06-18
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- ef7ab3db-e333-45c6-b516-fcb284653337
- date added to LUP
- 2025-07-30 10:26:39
- date last changed
- 2025-07-30 11:30:58
@misc{ef7ab3db-e333-45c6-b516-fcb284653337,
abstract = {{Introduction: The climate and biodiversity crises are interconnected, unprecedented, existential threats that cause disturbing emotions, such as anxiety, grief, and anger. While there is increasing research about antecedents and outcomes of such eco-emotions, less is known about how to cope with them constructively, to benefit both mental health and pro-environmental action. <br/><br/>Objectives: This study aimed to understand the role of empathy in private conversations about global environmental change as a way of constructive coping. More specifically, we investigated in how far the experience of empathy might buffer from more detrimental consequences of uncomfortable eco-emotions (i.e., impairments in mental health) and might enable pro-environmental action. <br/><br/>Materials and Methods: We invited a random sample of N=7000 adults in the South of Sweden to participate in the study. <br/><br/>Results: Using multiple regression analysis, we found that the more people talked about global environmental change and the more they talked about their emotions in those conversations, the more pro-environmental action they engaged in. Furthermore, empathic understanding emerged as a moderator for some eco-emotions, i.e., strong emotions for which participants received empathy were associated with stronger pro-environmental action. Interestingly, none of the considered variables predicted mental health. <br/><br/>Conclusion: We discuss these results and suggest implications for constructive coping with eco-emotions.}},
author = {{Wullenkord, Marlis and Johansson, Maria}},
keywords = {{Climate change; Biodiversity; Biodiversity loss; Eco-emotions; Eco-anxiety; Empathy; Pro-environmental behavior; Pro-environmental action}},
language = {{eng}},
title = {{Coping with global environmental change and the emotions it evokes : considering the role of empathy}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/224348998/Wullenkord_-M._Johansson_-M._ICEP-2025-Abstract.pdf}},
year = {{2025}},
}