As the discussion over how to address climate change heats up this Earth Day, we're taking a look at how people understand the risks of climate change and how they adapt.

In this episode, we talk with two psychologists who study everything from communication to behavior change

and discuss how psychological research can contribute to an understanding of global climate change.

I'm Andre Hamilton, and this is Speaking of Psychology.

Thank you. This is speaking of psychology. Janet Swim is a professor of psychology at the Pennsylvania State University.

She chaired the American Psychological Association Task Force on

Psychological Perspectives on Climate Change. She is currently examining how people's beliefs

about climate change are influenced by others, as well as how to encourage people to support

pro-environmental behaviors. Also with us is John Fraser. He is a conservation psychologist, architect, and educator,

serving as president and CEO for the New York Think Tank New Knowledge Organization.

His current research focuses on how social relationships and media influence how people

choose to engage in solving big social problems like climate change mitigation, resolving health disparities,

or creating positive opportunities for youth to become their best selves.

They are working together with the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation,

which has the goal of training educators on how to effectively communicate climate change information.

Welcome, Dr. Swim and Dr. Fraser.

Thank you. Thanks very much.

First and foremost, this is the most basic question, but how is psychology contributing to the

discussion about climate change? Well, I would say that there are probably two major ways that

psychology is contributing. One way is that a lot of psychologists

look into behavioral change, and so there are issues about getting individuals to change

everyday behaviors, and individuals to engage in civic action, contacting their political officials

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