The Psychology of Climate Change: Why We Struggle to Act

Climate change is not just a problem of engineering and policy. At its core, it is a product of human thought, behavior, and motivation, which means psychology has something important to say about it. Join Gregory Feist, Professor of Psychology at San José State University, for a look at why so many people either deny the crisis outright or freeze up when confronted with its scale.

Drawing on decades of research into creativity, motivation, and the psychology of science, Feist will unpack the mental habits and biases that make climate change uniquely hard for our brains to process. He will also explore what basic psychological principles suggest about breaking through denial and inaction, and how that understanding might translate into real solutions.

This talk offers a grounded, evidence-based way to think about one of humanity's biggest challenges, from the inside out.