I am interested in the role of social identity and collective emotions in fostering behavior to reduce climate change. In one series of studies, my colleague and I found that collective guilt for Americans’ greenhouse gas emissions fosters more willingness to reduce climate change than anxiety about the harmful effects of climate change on future generations. This occurred for behaviors such as greener transport choices, energy conservation, and support for greener tax policies. In another series of studies, we found that comparing an ingroup with a less pro-environmental outgroup fosters willingness to engage in pro-environmental behavior (such as supporting regulations on greenhouse emissions).

My colleagues and I are currently examining the role of social identity in fostering consumption behavior. In one series of studies, we found that a salient social identity increases the perceived need for identity-relevant luxury products (such as cell phones or iPods). In another series of studies, we found that a salient social identity also increases the amount of actual money that people are willing to pay for such products. This research complements my earlier work by examining human contributions to climate change, rather than human responses to climate change.