University of Twente Student Theses
Themes of Climate Emotions : A Qualitative Study on Individual Experiences of Climate Change and Climate Anxiety expressed in an Online Environment
Scholz, Stella Francesca (2023) Themes of Climate Emotions : A Qualitative Study on Individual Experiences of Climate Change and Climate Anxiety expressed in an Online Environment.
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| Abstract: | Climate change poses physical and economic threats to hundreds of millions of people and has a significant emotional impact on many, particularly young individuals. Climate anxiety, a set of emotions that adversely affect people's mental health and well-being related to the climate crisis, is widely discussed. However, there are also other complex emotions that people experience. These emotions affect individuals' daily lives and can impact efforts to mitigate climate change. Therefore, researching these emotions is crucial for understanding their impact on human well-being and agency. Using reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) to study climate emotions expressed on Reddit can provide valuable insights into how individuals perceive and discuss climate change and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the emotional responses to the issue. Eight broad themes of climate emotions were generated from the data through Reflexive thematic analysis (RTA), revealing a diverse range of themes of climate emotions, naming: 1. Distrust directed at a powerful outgroup, 2. Frustration directed at inconsiderate fellow humans, 3. Desperation is the most evident solution, 4. Conscientious people feel proud to take accountability, 5. Unity and determination open doors to new possibilities, 6. Believing in future solutions is essential for climate hope, 7. Guilt and shame parents take the blame, and 8. Indifference towards consequences of CC. The variety of climate emotions and interconnectedness highlight the need for more research to understand the implications of these complex emotional responses to the climate crisis for individual well-being and collective action. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/94805 |
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