Shaelyn Huber

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Major

Ecology and Environmental Science

Advisor(s)

Cynthia Isenhour

Committee Members

Mark Haggerty, Sharon Klein, Laura Rickard, Linda Silka

Graduation Year

May 2022

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

As climate change has become more prominent in the political and public eye, the prevalence of climate anxiety has recently gained more attention from scientists and psychologists alike (Pfautsch, 2017). Climate change is often seen as an enormous, complex, and seemingly insurmountable threat from both individual and societal perspectives. Increasing frequency and severity of droughts, floods, hurricanes, and many other natural catastrophes have harmed and displaced millions of people across the globe. As a result, researchers across the world have observed a rise in the number of individuals who experience adverse psychological symptoms as a result of these complex problems and experiences (Budziszewska, 2021). Climate anxiety may entail varying levels of dread, hopelessness, fear, guilt, and despair in those who experience it (Doherty, 2011). In particular, it is categorized by uncertainty and fear for the future which will be shaped by climate change. Climate change is a complicated amalgamation of many different natural systems with countless impacts, often making it difficult to approach. Climate anxiety may drive people to fight for change, go into denial, or simply avoid thinking about subjects related to climate change.

This research project aims to explore the relationship between climate activism and climate anxiety, identify relevant trends in related behaviors and experiences, and investigate which personal attributes are most related to climate anxiety. It investigates participants’ general feelings and reactions towards climate change, whether they have experienced certain climate anxiety symptoms, what types of climate activism or actions they have participated in, what affects their participation had on their climate anxiety, their experiences with both environmental and personal climate impacts, their desire to enact positive change, and their perception of their climate anxiety. Climate anxiety is still a relatively new field, though it is rapidly growing. Its underlying causes and effects, as well as how it is experienced, are still relatively unknown, so data is both vital and scarce. A better understanding of climate anxiety could help devise more effective clinical treatment and better outreach and organization by climate movements and groups.

Download

Share