Many of the pressing issues that confront society involve social behaviour in relation to the environment. This course will address how social behaviour affects the environment and vice versa, and how policy measures, and interventions more in general, can be an effective tool for behavioural change.
Each meeting will be devoted to a specific issue within environmental psychology. For example:
we will discuss the way people evaluate the presence of large crowds, and situations of high density, how they react to these situations and how environmental alterations may improve well-being.
We will focus on environmental determinants of crime, safety and risk, and how people cope with these: What determines their experience of risk, how does this deviate from experts’ risk assessments, and what measures can be appropriate to reduce risk.
We will not only look at the built environment and the technology that surrounds 21st-century man, but also at nature. People generally like nature, but why, and to what extent? What effects can be expected from exposure to natural environments?
Attention will also be given to the difference between individual and collective interests (social dilemmas), which plays a role in a range of environmental issues, ranging from the number of parking places in a neighbourhood to the greenhouse effect. What psychological mechanisms drive environmentally relevant behaviour and how can interventions be designed to change behaviour in a pro-environmental sense?
For each meeting students will read a set of papers in advance, to be discussed during the session.
Coordinator
Dr. Henk Staats
Room 2A40
Tel.: +31 (0)71 527 4104
E-Mail: staats@fsw.leidenuniv.nl
Aims
The student
Has specialized knowledge of social psychological theories about behaviour in social-environmental settings.
Can, at basic level, make use of theories that are common in social psychology to get a grip on environmental problems.
Literature
Journal articles and book chapters that will be offered via Blackboard.
Examination
Final written exam.
From January 1, 2006 the Faculty of Social Sciences has instituted the Ephorus system to be used by instructors for the systematic detection of plagiarism in students’ written work. Please see the Additional Rules and Regulations, section 6.
Requirement(s) for application or advice
Master students MSc Psychology
Education method(s)
Seminars/lectures, presentations of research.
Enrolment
Introduction and enrolment for courses of the first semester will take place August 27th 2009. Introduction and enrollment for courses of the second semester will take place in January 2010.
More information will be available at the website of the Institute of Psychology.
NB: Exam and re-exam registration will take place via U-Twist, and will be open between a month and a week before the (re)exam. Students who haven’t registered, cannot participate in the (re)exam.
Blackboard
Information available on www.blackboard.leidenuniv.nl