Studying at York
Environmental Psychology for a Sustainable Society - ENV00031H
- Department: Environment and Geography
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: H
- Academic year of delivery: 2022-23
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
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 50 |
| Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 50 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 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 .