Who are the two groups described in the paper?
The Mayangna peoples who live in the bosawas reserve in Nicaragua
The Anishinaabe, specifically focusing on the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation (KSPFN) in Ontario Canada
What is a good life, and what does that mean for the two groups?
Buen vivir- latin American
Perspective stands against the western tendency to see the world in dualities
Focuses on the interconnectedness of all things, where human actions have repercussions on all life forms
Nature has intrinsic rights and is not a commodity to be bought, sold or exchanged
The belief that the earth can sustain all of life when human beings live in balance with nature
Mino-bimaadiziwn in the Anishinnaabemowin language
Relationships with natural world are guided by a spiritual connection
Water insecurity cannot perform its natural role because of its disrespect from pollution or withdrawals which alter its natural character
Living and honouring the sacred gifts of creation
Conducting ceremonies with water
The good life recognizes the gifts of creation and bestows caretaking responsibilities upon human beings
For both this shared idea is a need to live in harmony with the earth and its natural cycles in both a physical and spiritual sense
For the Mayangna, wellbeing and happiness are not based on ownership or income, but rather a balances life that respects the rights of nature
For the Anishnaabe, “the good life” involves following instructions provided but the creator for maintaining sacred balance through customs, practices and beliefs
In both cultures, the concept of a good life is eroded by natural destruction and the lack of Indigenous involvement in decisions making regarding ancestral lands
How do Indigenous knowledge systems view the natural world?
Connection to land and resources is deeply embedded in Indigenous knowledge systems which view the natural world as an interdependent unity of beings, each with its own responsibility
Western colonization has disrupted these relationships
Nature s views as mother earth, an all-encompassing living organism rather than a collection of resources
Knowledge systems emphasize stewardship rather than ownership; for example, the Anishinaabe believe water has its own spirit and is a “most-sacred gift”
In what ways are the two group’s traditional relationships with land and water affected by colonization?
Water insecurity remains a persistent problem, effectively altering the sacred balance of the Anishinaabe communities’ spiritual relationship
Intrudes the relationship imposing western norms that are generally anthropocentric, divide humanity from nature, and treat nature as subservient to human beings
Rivers (the only source of water) are being polluted by colonists, extractive industries, commercial agriculture and cattle ranching
Forests are clear cut and harvested, making it more difficult to secure food sources through hunting practices
Caused physical insecurity, psychological trauma and anxiety
Colonists tend to be organized and armed
Responsibilities to water come from the inherent rights and obligations to the creator to care for and protect the water for future generations
Water itself has a spirit and entity of its own, this spirit gives life, nourishes and is medicine for us
Harmonious living with nature involves taking care of water
Colonization imposes Westen norms that are anthropocentric (human-centered) and treat nature as subservient to humans
For the Anishinaabe, federal policies and the Indian act limited their settlements to reserves, resulting in a loss of control over decision-making regarding water and land
Modern water treatment chemicals are viewed by some elders as pollutants that harm the water spirit, creating a spiritual detachment from natural water sources
Environmental degradation has led to emotional stress, grief and fear because communities can no longer fulfill their inherent responsibilities to protect the Earth
Given their strong connection to the land, are all Indigenous cultures the same?
Mayangna elders describe their relationship with the land as one that builds on ancestral traditions
Characterised by the good life of peace and tranquility
No they do not share a homogenous identifies
Their identities and contexts are uniquely shaped by their specific geographies and colonial histories
The authors share that the groups share common struggles for social justice, but remain unique and distinct groups
How do the Mayangna think of other species (like animals they hunt animals) that they depend on?
Mayangna elders view animals as a part of us because they have lives together in harmony for centuries
They believe humans have the duty to defend and protect animal specifies because of a mutual interdependence: the animals depend on human protection and humans depend on them for nourishment
How do the authors describe what they recommend as a decolonizing approach to policy reform for Indigenous land and water governance?
Four interconnected dimensions – ecological, sociopolitical, technical, educational
Addressing these dimensions would facilitate healthy relationships between communities and their natural environment
The ecological dimension – need to place the integrity of land above other priorities. Requires that governments and institutions regular practices that threaten the natural balance between human and natural systems
Sociopolitical dimension – indigenous rights to self-determinations and involves addressing the broader range of social, political and economic challenges that constrain these communities from exercising their rights includes representation in institutions that are involved in policy development
Technical dimension – relates to finances and resources to meet community capacity needs. For water this means adequate facility and infrastructure to provide safe and efficient drinking water
Educational dimension – key to changing mainstream society and government perspectives on nature and the essential place that nature plays in wellbeing
Ultimately the approach should be integrative, prioritizing the health of natural systems and the survival of indigenous nations
Notes:
Ecopsychology – provides an interdisciplinary perspective to the study of human and natural world relations, where humanity’s relationship to the environment is the key to human health and changes in the environment perpetuate a cycle of positive and negative influences
Mayangna – means children of the sun god
(Passmore and Holder)
What did Passmore et al do in this study?
Helped address the need for further experimental research examining the effects of long-term nature involvement
Measured effects of a longer duration, ongoing nature intervention
Two control conditions which included a business-as-usual condition
Involved participants merely noticing and attending to the nature they account in their everyday routines
Examined whether at the end of a two week period, participants in the nature condition experienced greater individual and social benefits compared in the control conditions
Hypothesized that levels of individual wellbeing, a general sense of connectedness and prosocial orientation would be higher in participants who were randomly assigned to pay attention to how the natural objects they encountered in their daily lives made them feel compared to participants randomly assigned to a similar condition with a focus on human built objects and scenes and compared to those randomly assigned to a waitlist control
What effects did they find on different outcomes?
Photos of human-built objects/scenes were significantly more likely to be associated with emotional themes of fashion, safety, disgust, envy, stress, fatigue, guilt and annoyance. Descriptions accompanying were emotional reactions that were in response to a memory, activity or function that the individual associated with the object rather then the direct response
Descriptions associated with nature photos were mostly evoked by the reaction to the nature object/scene
Participants in both conditions reported being more aware of their immediate surroundings
Individual well being: participants inn the nature group reported significantly higher levels of net positive affect and elevating experience. However, no significant difference was found regarding participants sense of meaning in life
In terms of size, how do those effects compare to other positive psychology interventions?
High end of or larger than the effect sizes seen in other positive psychology interventions
What was it about the experimental manipulation (and what people were doing) that made the most difference? Are their alternative explanations that were ruled out? What?
Most significant act of experimental manipulation was the act of noticing and attending to everyday nature that is often overlooked, rather than requiring participants to change their lifestyle or environment
Explanations: time spent in nature – participants in the nature group did not spend more time in nature, the benefits came from the quality of attention, not the quality of time
Personality traits: the benefits were not moderated by trait levels of nature connectedness or engagement with beauty, meaning the intervention worked regardless of whether a person was already nature oriented
What themes did the authors find for participants in nature condition? Awe, peacefulness, hope, rejunivation, freedom
What were participants surprised about?
Surprised by how and what degree nature affected their emotions
Notes:
Attention Restoration Theory – details how natural environments are rich in stimuli that effortlessly engage our involuntary attention and thus restore our directed attention/cognitive abilities
Biophilia hypothesis – sets forth that we have an evolved inclination to affiliate with and respond with emotional intensity to the non human natural world
Eco – existential positive psychology perspective – proposes that cultivating our innate biophilic tendences through involvement with the natural world increases our well-being by helping address existential anxieties, such as those concerning isolation and happiness
chmitt, Neufeld, Mackay, Dys-Steenbergen
Summarize the main point of the paper in one sentence.
Explaining climate inaction through psychological barriers is problematic because it decontextualizes human nature from social-structural power dynamics and obscures the potential for collective social change
What approach do the authors take in this paper?
Use a critical social psychology approach
Perspective moves beyond studying individual mental states in isolation and instead analyzes psychological processes within their broader historical and political contexts
What are the main assumptions of this approach that are used in this paper?
Contextual nature: psychological processes do not exist exclusively “in the mind” but are fundamentally contextual and social, shaped by historical and structural narratives
Systemic inequality: the approach recognizes the existence of systemic injustice and acknowledges that elite individuals and institutions have the power to create laws, practices and discourses that serve their own interests
Interconnectedness: psychological processes are both shaped by and help shape larger social structures and intergroup relationships; they cannot be meaningfully “decoupled” from these systems
scientific accountability: researchers are not neutral observers; psychological theories are part of the “coconstruction of reality and can either reinforce the status quo or open possibilities for social change
How do these authors critique the idea of the ancient brain as a psychological barrier?
The ancient brain argument suggests that because the human brain evolved to focus on immediate, local threats, it is wired to ignore global, long-term threats like climate change
Demonstrated Capability: Humand are clearly capable of caring about the distant future and distant others as shown by research where simple reminders of “legacy increased climate concern
Social vs biological: the difficulty in responding to climate change is not due to an inherent biological inability, but rather a social barrier. The authors argue we should instead ask why we have created social contexts that encourage people to ignore the future
Malleability evolved human tendencies are not fixed; the degree to which they manifest depends entirely on the social context
How do these authors critique the idea of free-market ideology as a psychological battier?
Neoliberal ideology – prioritizes individual freedom and competitive markets – deters climate action (they agree)
Elites and construction: neoliberalism is not a spontaneous psychological occurrence; it is an ideology deliberately promoted by elites to justify polices that serve their economic interests
Policy vs psychology: focus on the psychological effects of the ideology ignores the more significant impacts of neoliberal policy, such as the gutting of environmental regulations and the rise of economic inequality
Systemic Power: locating the barrier only at the psychological level ignores how the “winners” of the current economic system use their power to maintain status quo profits for them
Individualization of responsibility: shifts the focus from institutional and corporate accountability to individual consumer choices, thereby limiting the imagination for collective political action
Notes:
Climate change presents the most significant challenge humanity has ever faced
Global warming is the result of human activity, specifically the drastic rise in greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels
Human action to mitigate climate change remains woefully inadequate
ideologies or worldviews (4 types)
Ideologies or worldviews that can undermine action (4 types)
Worldviews: disbelief in global warming, capitalism causing people to live an affluent lifestyle
Suprahuman powers: believe a higher power or mother nature (as a secular deity) will not forsake them or will do what it wishes anyways
echnosalvation: mechanical innovation has a history of improving the standard of living, belief that it will go further. Technology alone can solve climate change issues
System justification: tendency to defend and justify the societal status quo. When people have a comfortable lifestyle they do not want others to change their way of living
environmental numbness
Environmental numbness
We attend to environments selectively
People are unaware of much of our physical surroundings , particularly aspect causing no immediate difficulty
When viewers see a stimulus too many times attention to it shrinks ass habituation increases
Hearing about climate change or the environment too often can lead to numbness of the message
behavioural momentum
Behavioural momentum
Society remaining ordered rather than chaotic
Habit behaviour is resistant to climate change or slow to change
perceived inequity
Perceived inequity
Why should I change if others wont
Fearing others will not respond, even if they do
perceived behavioural control/self-efficacy
Perceived behavioural control/self-efficacy
Since climate change is a global problem, many people think they can do nothing about it as individuals
collective action problem
Collective action problem
People think their actions will not have much impact
tokenism
Tokenism
Adoption of behaviours that have less change to climate because they are easier to do
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2 - changing behaviour25
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3 - Inter threats and coping23
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1 - Psychology and Environmental Sustainability16
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4 - Groups and Social Norms 135
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5 - Groups and Social Norms 214
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Identification with nature28
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Connection to Nature, Well-being and Pro-Environmental Behaviour13
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Environmental Inequity22
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Readings doc43
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11 - Environmental activism16
