Wednesday 22 July 11:25
- 12:55
Hall: 24 - Room 3 SPT
Chair and Presenter:
Clayton Susan
Division: Division 4: Environmental Psychology
Growing research on the psychology of climate change has increased awareness of the variety of ways in which it threatens mental health and wellbeing. These impacts are differentially experienced by communities that differ in terms of geographic and/or social vulnerability. This symposium describes climate change impacts on wellbeing in a range of communities. In addition to their geographic range, the papers present a variety of methods, including surveys, interviews, global data on temperature and sleep, and a systematic literature review, to explore the direct geophysical impacts of climate change as well as some of the social processes that moderate those impacts.
Haemin Park presents a survey of research on climate change impacts in Pacific Island Countries, some of the most vulnerable areas globally, describing some of the social and cultural variables that promote or impede coping. Africa is also both highly vulnerable and understudied; Erinn Cameron shows that African women with HIV who experience water insecurity due to climate change have greater levels of depression and climate anxiety, , and that water insecurity is also associated with reduced healthcare engagement. Using a qualitative approach, Charles Ogunbode looks at Black and South Asian immigrants in the UK, how they construct an understanding of climate change, and how this understanding affects the impacts. Adlai Terreros Rodriguez also uses qualitative data to explore emotional responses to climate change experiences among Mexican fishing communities. Using data from an online survey, Susan Clayton examines the ways in which concerns about climate change are affecting current experiences as well as future plans in the US, and how these impacts are affected by demographic characteristics. At a global level, Kelton Minor presents an estimate of the impact of global warming on sleep loss. This symposium will deepen understanding of the diverse impacts of climate change on well-being.
