Climate change impact on mental health: psychological analysis

Occupation: scientific supervisor of the Institute of Psychology of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Affiliation: Institute of Psychology RAS
Address: Russian Federation

Journal name

Psikhologicheskii zhurnal

Edition

Volume 41 issue 5

Pages

86-96

Abstract

The article presents an analysis of the psychological consequences of climate change, based on domestic and foreign studies. The state of research in this area is assessed. Three main groups of psychological consequences of climate change for Russian society were identified: firstly, increased anxiety about the future, distress due to the consequences of natural disasters, and nostalgia and depression about the loss of the familiar environment; secondly, changes in cognitive and affective processes associated with the direct or indirect impact of adverse geophysical factors, including a decrease in cognitive abilities, neurodegenerative diseases, increased impulsiveness and aggressiveness of behavior under the influence of high temperatures, air pollution, etc.; thirdly, an aggravation of the experience of injustice, a further decline in trust to other social groups and social institutions, an increase in commitment to conservative values, exposure to populism, and support for authoritarian politicians. Some quantitative indicators are proposed for assessing the psychological effects of climate change. Promising areas of interdisciplinary research are outlined.

Keywords

climate change, psychology, macro-psychological state of society, environmental depressions, trust, interethnic relations, neurological diseases

Acknowledgment

This article was prepared with the support by RSF grant №18-18-00439

Received

08.09.2020

Publication date

13.09.2020

Number of characters

25792

Cite

GOST	Nestik T., Zhuravlev A. Climate change impact on mental health: psychological analysis // Psikhologicheskii zhurnal – 2020. – V. 41. – issue 5 C. 86-96 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://psy.jes.su/S020595920011084-8-1 (circulation date: 16.04.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S020595920011084-8
MLA	Nestik, Timothy, Zhuravlev, A. L "Climate change impact on mental health: psychological analysis." Psikhologicheskii zhurnal 41.5 (2020):86-96. DOI: 10.31857/S020595920011084-8
APA	Nestik T., Zhuravlev A. (2020). Climate change impact on mental health: psychological analysis. Psikhologicheskii zhurnal 41(5), pp.86-96 DOI: 10.31857/S020595920011084-8

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