Infusion of Climate Change Topics in Introductory Psychology Textbooks: A Content Analysis

Abstract

Background: Mitigating and adapting to climate change are areas where psychology has promising applications. Recent task forces have recommended several approaches for psychologists to address climate change—including teaching about the intersection of psychology and climate change. Objective: The current study analyzes climate change topics in 36 commonly used introductory psychology textbooks. Method: We identified introductory psychology textbooks from three recent studies and procured electronic copies of each. Using a summative content analysis approach, we developed a list of keywords and analyzed each textbook's climate change mentions in terms of quantity, location, and content. Results: Most introductory psychology textbooks included at least one climate change mention, with substantial variability across textbooks. Climate change was often mentioned in the introduction, as well as social psychology and judgment or thinking chapters. Examples of climate change topics by chapter are provided. Conclusions: Most introductory psychology textbooks included at least some climate change discussion, but textbooks differed substantially in how (and how much) they incorporated climate change topics. Teaching Implications: We offer recommendations to instructors on textbooks with relatively high climate change content as well as textbook publishers and authors for additional ways to infuse climate change topics in future textbooks.