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Psychology for Change

A group of young adults sit around a table in a brightly lit room and work together on tasks. A man stands next to them, smiling and observing the scene. There are colourful pens, water bottles and papers on the table. Posters about the solar spectrum hang in the background.

Target group: Pupils and teachers at upper secondary level (grammar schools) aged 15 and over

Offer: 2–8-lesson workshops for school classes, professional development opportunities for teachers, free teaching materials

Few people deliberately harm the environment through their behaviour. Rather, negative environmental impacts are unintended side effects of our choices. Through this workshop, pupils learn how everyday decisions can be influenced and made, and how psychological insights relate to climate protection. The aim of the workshop is to encourage critical and interconnected thinking, to help pupils understand their own values, and to reflect on social norms and patterns of behaviour.

What does this programme achieve?

The programme enables young people to counteract the powerlessness sometimes felt in the face of climate protection issues and to experience self-efficacy by showing them specific ways they can make a difference.   

Specific benefits

Secondary school pupils will… 

A blue icon of a head with a brain inside, symbolizing intelligence or cognitive abilities.

…investigate how climate-friendly behaviour comes about and explore the psychological processes involved in decision-making 

A blue icon of a heart, symbolizing love, health, or affection.

…discuss value systems and how they are changing at the individual and societal levels, and experience how this is relevant to climate protection 

A blue icon of a plant with three leaves, symbolizing growth and sustainability.

…get to know effective solutions and ways they can make a difference in the field of climate protection  

A blue icon of a hierarchical structure with four connected boxes, symbolizing networks or organizational charts.

…develop approaches for taking action on a personal, political and economic level  

A blue icon of a head with a leaf inside, symbolizing mindfulness and sustainable thinking.

…experience self-efficacy by taking action themselves to promote a climate-friendly future 

Register now for our educational programme 

Book a workshop

Mobilising the population for climate protection has inspired many secondary school pupils in particular. Since then, many young people have become increasingly involved in the issue or have asked questions about possible solutions. However, when the topic is discussed in school, the focus is often on causes and consequences. Teaching materials often provide only superficial information about solutions and possible courses of action. 

The «Psychology for Change» programme aims to fill these gaps. Firstly, background information, such as the psychological processes involved in decision-making, shed light on why certain changes have so far failed to materialise. Secondly, suitable starting points for initiating climate-friendly behaviour are explored and effective fields of action for climate protection are identified.   

The workshops promote value-orientated and considerate action and equip pupils with expertise, solution-orientated thinking and an interactive approach to climate-friendly behaviour.  

 

How can we foster climate-friendly behaviour and why does it often fail to materialise despite existing knowledge? Regula von Büren and Michèle Fasnacht from the myclimate education team answer these questions in this video on the topic of environmental psychology.

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SDG contributions 

The Psychology for Change programme contributes to SDG targets 4, 12 and 13. Read more in our FAQ.

Ensure inclusive, equitable, and high-quality education for all.

The module strengthens pupils’ awareness of the psychological mechanisms that influence climate-friendly behaviour and promotes critical thinking and a value-based reflection on sustainable lifestyles.

Promote resource-efficient production and sustainable consumption patterns.

By illustrating the connections between action decisions and their impact on the environment, the module encourages pupils to make conscious climate-friendly decisions and promote sustainable lifestyles.

Take urgent action to combat climate change.

The workshop sensitises pupils to the psychological processes associated with decision-making in the context of climate change and enables them to contribute actively to climate protection through reflective action.

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