![Psychology’s task in the transition to sustainable societies – From environmental concern to understanding impact relevant behaviours Psychology’s task in the transition to sustainable societies – From environmental concern to understanding impact relevant behaviours](/16630/header_image-1589549832.jpg?t=eyJ3aWR0aCI6ODQ4LCJmaWxlX2V4dGVuc2lvbiI6ImpwZyIsIm9ial9pZCI6MTY2MzB9--2ac0ce275c7bd00429cf404b6117c2c4a30133d6)
Psychology’s task in the transition to sustainable societies – From environmental concern to understanding impact relevant behaviours
Keynote Lecture by Ellen Matthies (Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg)
The presentation reflects on the potential of psychology’s possible contributions to the urgently needed transition to sustainable societies, i.e. less CO2-emissions, less resource consumption, more global justice. It takes the development of environmental psychology as a starting point and focuses on central discussions and milestones: The development from a focus on environmental concern and its relevance for individual behaviours to a focus on the explanation of the most impact relevant individual behaviours. This development opens perspectives in particular for cognitive psychology to become part of a solution. However, further possible contributions have been discussed over the last years. The talk gives examples from recent research.