psychology and sustainability

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PEACE AND CONFLICT: JOURNAL OF PEACE PSYCHOLOGY 5 3), 291-293

Copyright 1999 Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.

sychology and Sustainability

Doug McKenzie-Mohr

Department

of

Psychology

St. Thomas University

This is a wonderful and important book. In a refreshingly personal style, the author

demonstrates the relevance of psychology to the task of creating a sustainable fu-

ture. With world population expected to double during the next century, lifestyles

will need to change dramatically so that our burgeoning population does not out-

strip the ability of our planet to support other species and ours. These changes will

be particularly dramatic in the North, where our culture of overconsumption will

have to be abandoned and replaced with an alternative in which resources are used

far more wisely.

The main thesis of this book is that many environmental problems and solutions

have at their core human behavior, attitudes, and values. As such, psychology has a

critical role to play in advancing sustainability. To this end, the author provides a

broad overview of the contributions that psychology can make to the transition to

sustainability, and she does so with a writing style that is delightful.

The author begins by providing a glimpse of the personal journey that led to the

writing of this book. I found this section to be a refreshing contrast to the majority

of psychological writing in which the beliefs and values of authors that have influ-

enced their work are not elaborated. She continues by describing some of the envi-

ronmental crises that face

us

Appropriately, she gives significant attention to

canying capacity and the risks associated with exponential growth. She ties our

present dilemma to the nature of western thought and the associated assump-

tions that underlie our relationship with the environment. She demonstrates that

our worldviews are social constructions that have environmental impacts. Further,

Ecological P sycho logy: Healing the Split Between Planet and Self Deborah DuNann Winter. 1995

New York: HaroerCollins.

Requests for reprints should be sent to Doug McKenzie-Mohr. Department of Psychology

St

Thomas University Fredericton NB E3B 2E4 Canada. E-mail: [email protected]


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as social constructions, the author identifies worldviews as an appropriate focus of

psychological inquiry.

The majority of the book is devoted to examining the contributions that differ-

ent schools within psychology can make to sustainability. In separate chapters, she

examines social psychology, psychoanalysis, behaviorism, cognitive psychology,

and gestalt and transpersonal psychology. In each of these chapters she provides an

overview of the central research findings and/or theories. The author then demon-

strates how they can be applied to our dilemma and provides commentary on the

limitations of these various approaches.

The author concludes the book by advocating the pursuit of ecological psychol-

ogy, which she defines s the study of human experience and behavior, in its

physical, political, and spiritual context, to build a sustainable future (p. 296).

Ecological psychology, she argues, should be conducted based on the following

four assumptions:

1 The goal of ecological psychology is to learn how to deve lop a sustainable

culture (p. 297). The author notes that while it would be naive and pretentious for

all psychologists to turn their attention to sustainability, she asserts that from an

ecological viewpoint this is the single most important issue. Psychology enter-

tains many important issues but none, she contends, that are more important than

preserving the viability of the planet that sustains us.

2.

The physical world exists whether we understand it o r not (p. 297). Ecologi-

cal psychologists, she argues, need to know more about how the physical world

operates. She suggests, correctly I believe, that to conduct research properly in

ecological psychology you must have a strong background in the natural sciences

(or, I would add, be working in an interdisciplinary team in which others can con-

tribute this expertise). Without this grounding, it is impossible to wisely select

which behaviors are most important to modify.

3. Our knowledge of reality is continually changing as our political emo-

tional and intellectual knowledge changes

(p. 297). Similarly, she notes that eco-

logical psychologists need a strong background in the humanities and social

sciences to understand the political and social dimensions of the problems that

confront us.

4. The connections between systems are m ore important than their separations

(p. 298). To practice ecological psychology, she indicates, is to abandon a belief

that any one discipline can, by itself, make a significant contribution to

sustainability. Ecological psychologists must make a conscious effort to inform

themselves of the work of other disciplines and participate in interdisciplinary re-

search projects. I would add that most psychological training leaves graduates ill

prepared to confront these challenges. The narrow perspective of graduate training

in psychology makes it difficult for our graduates to grapple with the physical, so-

cial, and political dimensions of these problems.


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Who should read this book? I believe it has three audiences. It was clearly writ-

ten for students of psychology and can

e

used as an effective accompaniment to

an introductory psychology course. It can also be used sa text for an introductory

course in environmental psychology. Although the book was clearly written for

these two audiences it is also a useful introduction for the public swell as for psy-

chologists who are interested in learning more about psychology and

sustainability. This book is an important contribution to the challenging task of

making the transition to a sustainable future. In my opinion psychology is in debt

to the author.

psychology and sustainability

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