Psychological mechanisms for gaining awareness of (and react- ing to) climate change challenges: emotional levers for cognitive remodeling

Environmental issues linked to climate change are more visible and dangerous than ever, causing a growing concern in public opinion: still, lot of persons seems to not really understand the situation, trying to ignore it or not changing their behaviors consequently. Here we describe some core concepts of Psychology that can help understanding this phenomenon and counterbalancing it with a proper communication. Four basic cognitive mechanisms are described, that could account for the lack of awareness, concern and put-to-practice: 1) the limits in understanding number-based communication, 2) the instinctive reject for news perceived as too negative, 3) the learning and memory mechanisms underlying the difficult cause-effect association concerning climate change, and, 4) finally, the reasons to not embrace ecological behaviors even being aware of their relevance. Our suggestion can promote awareness of environmental issues and the adherence to the consequent ecological behaviors. Specifically, we propose a wise use of cognitive mechanisms and of emotional leverage; a smart timing of communication; and a socially desirable, step-by-step twist to ecological behaviors in order to make them more acceptable (and, thus, widely adopted).