WHAT:
Americans are increasingly concerned that our lifestyles are depleting Earth's natural resources and contributing to global warming and climate change. Psychologists have begun to study why this situation makes people anxious and how to change behaviors that might be exacerbating it. As you prepare stories commemorating Earth Day on April 22, the following psychologists are available to provide depth and perspective.
Elise L. Amel, PhD, Director of Environmental Studies and Professor of Industrial/Organizational Psychology, University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis. Dr. Amel's research focuses on understanding both the individual differences and the social situations that encourage environmentally sustainable behavior. She also can speak about how an organization's commitment to sustainability is related to employee satisfaction.
Phone: 651-962-5046
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Robert Cialdini, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology, Arizona State University. Dr. Cialdini can talk about the best ways to communicate with the public to spur energy-efficient behavior.
Phone: 480-965-4971
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Thomas Joseph Doherty, PsyD, Clinical Psychologist, Sustainable Self LLC (https://www.selfsustain.comopens in new window), Adjunct Faculty, Lewis & Clark College, Portland, Ore. Dr. Doherty focuses on applying environmental concepts to personal health and organizations. He can talk about ecopsychology and therapy in a natural setting and how to work with clients who are anxious about the environment.
Phone: 503-288-1213
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Christie Manning, PhD, Visiting Assistant Professor, Macalester College, St. Paul, Minn. Dr. Manning looks at how information about an issue such as climate change is conveyed, understood, and responded to. In some recent studies, researchers found that altering an environmental message by a single word can elicit a very different response, such as replacing the word "easy" with "effective" to describe sustainable actions.
Phone: 651-696-6164
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Raymond Nickerson, PhD, Professor, Tufts University. Dr. Nickerson's research examines the ways in which human behavior can affect the environment, for good or ill.
Phone: 781-275-9541 or 781-718-0009 (cell).
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Britain Scott, PhD, Associate Professor, University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis. Dr. Scott can talk about what influences environmental attitudes and behaviors and how a women's feminine ideal affects her psychological and physical connection to the natural environment.
Phone: 651-962-5039
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Paul C. Stern, PhD, Staff Officer, National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Stern's work focuses on applying psychological principals to change people's behaviors to help diminish the problems caused by environmental and climate changes. He looks at what incentives are best to use to promote energy conservation, how people perceive climate uncertainty and how to persuade people to adopt more eco-friendly behaviors.
Phone: 202-334-3005
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