Editing IPCC:AR6/WGIII/Chapter-17 (section)

=== 17.2.3 Psychology, Individual Beliefs and Social Change ===

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This subsection draws on value- and action-oriented research that employs inter- or transdisciplinary methods such as transactional psychology, transformative science and similarly focused disciplines ( [[#Wamsler--2021|Wamsler et al. 2021]] ). These approaches frequently encourage researchers to participate in transitions that induce changes in the researcher’s own beliefs while triggering wider shifts in social norms (including human stewardship for the natural environment) ( [[#Adger--2013|Adger et al. 2013]] ; [[#Hulme--2009|Hulme 2009]] ; [[#Ives--2019|Ives et al. 2019]] ; [[#O’Brien--2018|O’Brien 2018]] ). This research also emphasises how changes in individual beliefs could lead to climate actions that contribute to more sustainable, equitable and just societies (e.g., ‘the mind- &amp; paradigm shifts’) ( [[#Göpel--2016|Göpel et al. 2016]] ). They further suggest the potential for virtuous cycles of individual-level and wider social changes that ultimately benefit the climate ( [[#Banks--2007|Banks 2007]] ; [[#Day--2014|Day et al. 2014]] ; [[#Lockhart--2011|Lockhart 2011]] ; [[#Montuori--2018|Montuori and Donnelly 2018]] ; [[#Power--2016|Power 2016]] ).

The starting point for this virtuous circle are inner transitions. Inner transitions occur within individuals, organisations and even larger jurisdictions that alter beliefs and actions involving climate change ( [[#Woiwode--2021|Woiwode et al. 2021]] ). An inner transition within an individual (see e.g., [[#Parodi--2018|Parodi and Tamm 2018]] ) typically involves a person gaining a deepening sense of peace and a willingness to help others, as well as protecting the climate and the planet (see e.g., [[#Banks--2007|Banks 2007]] ; [[#Power--2016|Power 2016]] ). Inner transition can imply that individuals become sympathetic to concerns that include climate issues and values connected to nature. For instance, they may include a desire to become a steward of nature ( [[#Buijs--2018|Buijs et al. 2018]] ); ‘live according to the principles of integrated sustainability’ ( [[#Schweizer-Ries--2018|Schweizer-Ries 2018]] ); ‘achieve the good life’ ( [[#Asara--2015|Asara et al. 2015]] ; [[#Escobar--2015|Escobar 2015]] ; [[#Kallis--2017|Kallis 2017]] ; [[#Latouche--2018|Latouche 2018]] ) ( [[IPCC:Wg3:Chapter:Chapter-5|Chapter 5]] and [[IPCC:Wg3:Chapter:Chapter-1#1.6.2|Section 1.6.2]] ); or protect the well-being of other living creatures ( [[IPCC:Wg3:Chapter:Chapter-5|Chapter 5]] and [[IPCC:Wg3:Chapter:Chapter-1#1.6.3|Section 1.6.3]] .1).

Examples have also been seen in relation to a similar set of inner transitions to individuals, organisations and societies, which involve embracing post-development, degrowth, or non-material values that challenge carbon-intensive lifestyles and development models (D’Alisa 2014; [[#Kothari--2019|Kothari 2019]] ; [[#Neuteleers--2015|Neuteleers and Engelen 2015]] ; [[#Paech--2017|Paech 2017]] ). These shifts in values can occur when humans reconnect with nature, deepen their consciousness and take responsibility for protecting the planet and its climate ( [[#Cross--2019|Cross et al. 2019]] ; [[#Martinez-Juarez--2015|Martinez-Juarez et al. 2015]] ; [[#Speldewinde--2015|Speldewinde et al. 2015]] ). Changes in both values and beliefs may also emerge through consciousness-raising processes where people cooperate in ways that would protect the climate (( [[#Banks--2007|Banks 2007]] ; [[#Hedlund-de%20Witt--2014|Hedlund-de Witt et al. 2014]] ; [[#Woiwode--2019|Woiwode and Woiwode 2019]] ) ( [[IPCC:Wg3:Chapter:Chapter-1#1.6|Section 1.6]] .4).

Many of the above-mentioned beliefs and values that support climate actions have spread through expanding interests in conservationist world views, indigenous cultures (see, for example, [[#Lockhart--2011|Lockhart 2011]] ) and branches of neuroscience and psychology that suggest different notions of the self ( [[#Hüther--2018|Hüther 2018]] ; [[#Lewis--2016|Lewis 2016]] ; [[#Seligman--2014|Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi 2014]] ). These beliefs and values can also be spread through meditation, yoga or other social practices that encourage lower-carbon lifestyles ( [[#Woiwode--2019|Woiwode and Woiwode 2019]] ). Another channel for spreading climate concerns is sustainability culture, which is premised on connecting people and communities, and has also benefited from the internet and digital technologies that support these connections (see e.g., [[#Bradbury--2015|Bradbury 2015]] ; [[#Scharmer--2018|Scharmer 2018]] ). The spread of this culture, in turn, has led to the creation of social fields that allow changes to happen (see e.g., [[#Gillard--2016|Gillard et al. 2016]] ) or has promoted low-carbon thinking and related behavioural changes ( [[#O’Brien--2018|O’Brien 2018]] ; [[#Veciana--2018|Veciana and Ottmar 2018]] ). Studies of social contagions may also offer insights into the mechanisms that lead to the adoption of new values and related climate actions (see e.g., [[#Iacopini--2019|Iacopini et al. 2019]] ). It is nonetheless worth highlighting that communication networks and other mechanisms promoting the spread of interpersonal communication that can spread pro-climate views may also lead to the proliferation of climate scepticism and denial ( [[#Leombruni--2015|Leombruni 2015]] ). At the same time, some studies suggest that such scepticism can be countered by the generation of more credible information on climate change ( [[#Samantray--2019|Samantray and Pin 2019]] ).

One of the more direct channels through which transitions spread are climate change education and action-oriented research ( [[#Fazey--2018|Fazey et al. 2018]] ; [[#Ives--2019|Ives et al. 2019]] ; [[#Scharmer--2018|Scharmer 2018]] ; [[#Schäpke--2018|Schäpke et al. 2018]] ; [[#Schneidewind--2016|Schneidewind et al. 2016]] ). For instance, research using ‘social experiments’ or ‘real-world labs’ has helped give rise to shifts in mindsets on energy, food, transport and other systems that can benefit the climate ( [[#Bernstein--2018|Bernstein and Hoffmann 2018]] ; [[#Berkhout--2010|Berkhout et al. 2010]] ; [[#Bulkeley--2015|Bulkeley et al. 2015]] ; [[#Hoffmann--2010|Hoffmann 2010]] ). In much the same way, the acquisition of transformational knowledge and transformative learning ( [[#Lange--2018|Lange 2018]] ; [[#O’Neil--2018|O’Neil and Boyce 2018]] ; [[#Pomeroy--2018|Pomeroy and Oliver 2018]] ; [[#Walsh--2020|Walsh et al. 2020]] ; [[#Williams--2013|Williams 2013]] ) contributes to thinking and acting that open climate-friendly development pathways ( [[#Berkhout--2010|Berkhout et al. 2010]] ; [[#Lo--2019|Lo and Castán Broto 2019]] ; [[#Roberts--2018|Roberts et al. 2018]] ; [[#Turnheim--2019|Turnheim and Nykvist 2019]] )) ( [[IPCC:Wg3:Chapter:Chapter-1#1.7.2|Section 1.7.2]] ). First-person and action research can also facilitate similar changes that bring about climate actions (see e.g., [[#Dick--2007|Dick 2007]] ; [[#Streck--2007|Streck 2007]] ; [[#Hutchison--2015|Hutchison and Walton 2015]] ; [[#Bradbury--2019|Bradbury et al. 2019]] ).

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