2020/2021

The Psychology of Sustainability

Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'

Type: Mago-Lego

Delivered by: School of Psychology

When: 3 module

Instructors: Elena Sautkina

Language: English

ECTS credits: 3

Contact hours: 36

Course Syllabus

Abstract

Global environmental change, e.g. environmental degradation, climate change, are among the most serious problems of our times due to direct threats for human health and wellbeing, safety and security, economy and politics, to mention but a few areas. Psychological science has an important role to play in helping to shape people’s awareness and action in order to transition towards an environmentally sustainable future. Since 1960s, Environmental Psychology has been contributing a great wealth of theory, methodology and evidence in the areas of environmental sustainability and pro-environmental action. The course will cover six broad themes: 1) Theory and Research Methods of Psychology of Sustainability, 2) Psychological Underpinnings of the Environmental and Climate Crisis, 3) Psychological Determinants of Pro-Environmental Action 4) Nature, Environmental Sustainability and Human Well-being, 5) Psychology of Sustainable Cities, 6) Practical Applications in Psychology of Sustainability. Interactive lectures and active learning seminars will enable the students to gain basic knowledge, competences and skills to pursue further academic and/or practical work in this area.

Learning Objectives

• Develop knowledge in theory, methodology and evidence of Psychology of Sustainability.
• Develop knowledge and skills in conducting basic research in the area of Psychology of Sustainability.
• Gain basic knowledge and skills in applying the principles of Psychology of Sustainability in practice.

Expected Learning Outcomes

• Knows key concepts in the field of Psychology of Sustainability.
• Knows basic theories explaining people-environment relationships.
• Knows key research methods in Psychology of Sustainability.
• Knows key principles of intervention design in the field of Psychology of Sustainability.
• Knows key theories explaining pro-environmental behaviour and behaviour change.
• Can reflect upon and evaluate research questions, designs and methods in the topic area of pro-environmental behaviour.
• Has basic skills to design and evaluate an evidence-based intervention in the area of environmental behaviour change.
• Knows key problems, concepts and theories in the field of psychology of climate change.
• Can reflect upon and evaluate research questions, designs and methods in the area of psychology of climate change.
• Has basic skills to design and evaluate an evidence-based intervention in the area of psychology of climate change.
• Knows key concepts and theories in the areas of Psychological Co-benefits of Environmental Sustainability, Restoration and Conservation Psychology.
• Can reflect upon and evaluate research questions, designs and methods on the topic of Restoration and Conservation Psychology.
• Has basic skills to design and evaluate an evidence-based intervention in the area of Restoration and Conservation Psychology.
• Knows key theories in the area of psychological dimensions of urban sustainability.
• Can reflect upon and evaluate research questions, designs and methods on the topic of psychological dimensions of urban sustainability.
• Has basic skills to design and evaluate an evidence-based intervention in the area of psychological dimensions of urban sustainability.
• Can apply theory and methods in the area of Psychology of Sustainability to resolve basic practical problems in this area.
• Knows key principles of collaborations between researchers, policy-makers and practitioners in the area of psychology of sustainability.
• Knows key principles and has basic skills of research dissemination among non-academic audiences in the area of psychology of sustainability.

Course Contents

• Theory and Methods in Psychology of Sustainability
• The Psychology of Pro-Environmental Action
• Psychological Dimensions of Climate Change
• Environmental Sustainability and Human Wellbeing as Co-benefits
• Sustainable Urban Environments
• Linking Theory, Research and Practice in Psychology of Sustainability

Assessment Elements

• Quiz
  There will be two problem-solving quizzes based on the lectures content. Students will have a limited time to answer quiz questions. Open answers will be checked for plagiarism and copying.
• Intervention Design
  Students design an evidence-based intervention in Environmental Psychology (e.g. to promote sustainable built or natural environments, sustainable behaviours or climate action, etc.). They produce a 3-page flash paper.
• Seminar Tasks
  During seminars, each student will engage in two group task requiring homework: 1) Article presentations task, 2) Mini-research task
• Lecture and Seminar Activity

Interim Assessment

• Interim assessment (3 module)
  0.3 * Intervention Design + 0.1 * Lecture and Seminar Activity + 0.3 * Quiz + 0.3 * Seminar Tasks

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Clayton, S. (2012). The Oxford handbook of environmental and conservation psychology. New York: Oxford University Press.
• de Groot, J. I. M., Berg, A. E. van den, & Steg, L. (2019). Environmental Psychology : An Introduction. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell.
• Fleury-Bahi G., Pol E. & Navarro O. (2017). Handbook of Environmental Psychology and Quality of Life Research. Springer Link.

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Cents and Sustainability : Securing Our Common Future by Decoupling Economic Growth from Environmental Pressures, Desha, Cheryl; Hargroves, Charlie; and more, Routledge, ISBN: 9781844075294, 2010.
• Sarkis, J., & Zhu, Q. (2018). Environmental sustainability and production: taking the road less travelled. International Journal of Production Research, 56(1/2), 743–759. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2017.1365182