Conservation Psychology
General
Prefix
PSY
Course Number
228
Course Level
Undergraduate
Department/Unit(s)
College/School
College of Liberal Arts
Description
Psychological aspects of conservation and sustainability in the context of environmental, ecological, evolutionary and cross-cultural perspectives including attitudes, values, risk perception, environmental identity, human-nature interactions, behavioral interventions.
Credits
Min
3
Max
3
Repeatable
No
Goals and Diversity
MN Goal Course
Yes
MN Goal Designation(s)
05, 10
Cultural Diversity
No
Learning Outcomes
Outcome
Apply the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development, as linked to individual lifestyle choices (housing, transportation, etc.) and day-to-day behaviors (e.g., energy, water use).
Outcome
Connect the urban ecosystem (plants, animals, and ecosystem services, etc.) and the place of humans within the system.
Outcome
Analyze the psychological benefits of human contact with animals and plants and explain the marked preference that humans have for environments containing natural elements, and savanna-like settings as an evolved adaptation (i.e. biophilia).
Outcome
Describe the categories, patterns and challenges of human contact with the natural world: domestic nature (e.g., pets, gardens), managed nature (e.g., zoos, parks,urban green spaces, community gardens, healing gardens), and wilderness areas.
Outcome
Apply basic psychological theories and concepts related to risk perceptions, environmental values, attitudes, and attitude and behavior change (e.g. bounded rationality, values-belief-norm model, elaboration likelihood model).
Outcome
Describe the connections between environmental identity, pro-environmental attitudes and environmentally sustainable behavior using a psychological perspective.
Outcome
Create a behavioral intervention (e.g., design of physical affordances for conservation behaviors, persuasive messages and advertisements, simulations, informational feedback) for the promotion of sustainable behaviors.
Outcome
Demonstrate critical thinking, from a psychological disciplinary viewpoint (e.g. the psychology of cooperation and conflict) about issues of sustainability and conservation on both a local and international scale (case histories of sustainable and unsustainable practices).