The first in the series is presented by Dr Sonja Geiger, Murdoch University Lecturer in Psychology Dr Geiger will be giving a special presentation on:

Between eco-anxiety and active hope: How to leverage emotions for behaviour change

Eco-Anxiety is the emotional reaction to the sense that the ecological foundations of human existence are in the process of collapse. As a healthy reaction to losing what people care for, eco-anxiety, or more general ecological emotions, can be conducive to behavioural change. In this talk, Sonja will give an overview of the state of research in environmental psychology on this emerging phenomenon. This new research will be embedded in classic psychological findings how behaviour change towards sustainability can be promoted by targeting main influences on human behaviour such as attitudes, social norms and moral values. 

About this speaker

Sonja holds a PhD in Psychology from University of Potsdam and conducted her post-doctoral research on sustainable consumption behaviour at the Technische University of Berlin, Germany before starting as a Lecturer at Murdoch earlier this year. As an environmental psychologist she researches people’s interaction with their natural environment. Her research is mainly focused on psychological variables influencing sustainable consumer behaviour, health and well-being and how these factors can be translated into effective behavioural interventions. To this end, she looked at how people can be inspired through mindfulness practices and virtual reality experiences to treat themselves and natural resources more consciously.

Please join us for this free lunchtime seminar in Boola Katatjin room 360.1.011.