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Environmental Psychology for a Sustainable Society - ENV00031H

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  • Department: Environment and Geography
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Katherine Brookfield
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
    • See module specification for other years: 2021-22

Module summary

The module focuses on deepening students’ understanding of the scope for promoting sustainable development through individual behavioural change to promote a sustainable society, and how appropriate behavioural change might be encouraged

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Autumn Term 2022-23 to Spring Term 2022-23

Module aims

In this module the emphasis is placed on individual responsibility for sustainable development, and introduces a range of debates that illuminate different aspects of society-environment relations. The module focuses on the scientific study of the transactions and interrelationships between people and their physical environment and the interplay between humans and their surroundings including natural and built environments as well as social settings.

Module learning outcomes

On completion of this module, a capable student will be able to:

Subject content:

  • Critically analyse psychological and behavioural aspects of people towards nature and environment
  • Evaluate the role of culture in understanding human-environment relationships
  • Discuss the relationship between contact with nature and physical and psychological health
  • Analyse and synthesise key theories of place, place attachment and place identity
  • Evaluate the psychological processes triggered by our environment, and how they can be manipulated to affect our perception, attitude and actions
  • An understanding of the factors affecting the likely ‘success’ of policies reliant on promoting individual behavioural change, and the causes of implementation failure
  • Ability to critically reason, self-reflective analysis
  • An appreciation of the factors driving personal motivations and action

Academic and graduate skills

  • Competently manage information and conduct basic research tasks
  • Tailor message for the audience and listen to the views of others
  • Build positive working relationships that help everyone to achieve goals and objectives

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Environmental psychology essay		 N/A 50
Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled)
Environmental Psychology Open Exam		 8 hours 50

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Environmental psychology reassessment essay		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Continuous feedback will be made available to the students during the seminar sessions and lectures

Feedback on coursework will be delivered individually (4 week turnaround).

Feedback on the exam will be provided through an exam feedback session

Indicative reading

Clayton, S. (Ed.). (2012). The Oxford Handbook of Environmental and Conservation Psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Fleury-Bahi, G., Pol, E., & Navarro, O. (Eds.). (2017). Handbook of Environmental Psychology and Quality of Life Research. Berlin: Springer Science and Business Media .


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.