Psychology of Climate Change: A critical approach

This article addresses climate anxiety as an emerging phenomenon and seeks to present the emotions and psychological impacts related to climate change. Based on data from multidisciplinary research on the subject in the scientific literature, as well as technical reports, it highlights that a significant proportion of the population in some countries expresses concern about climate change. Climate anxiety is understood as a set of complex and challenging emotional responses to the threats posed by climate change. However, climate anxiety is not classified as a disorder, seeking to break away from the conception that instruments should be seen as diagnostic scales. It is important to understand this concept as a psychological construct, exploring psychometric aspects as a way of quantitatively understanding the relationship between climate anxiety and other factors. From a critical perspective of psychology, the article highlights the importance of understanding the social and political origins of this phenomenon, avoiding an individualistic approach of blame and adaptability. It also highlights the need to empower individuals and communities to deal constructively with their emotions and promote environmentalist actions. The review includes an analysis of the affective dimensions of climate anxiety, its interactions with other emotions such as sadness and guilt, and sense-making around this phenomenon. It concludes by discussing the role of individual vulnerabilities and the social context in the psychological management of climate anxiety, highlighting the importance of environmentalist political action in reframing these emotions.