Me trying to talk about sustainability: Exploring the psychological and social implications of environmental threats through user-generated content

Leila Elgaaied-Gambier and Timo Mandler

Ecological Economics, 2021, vol. 187, issue C

Abstract: This research investigates citizen-consumers' representations of environmental issues by examining user-generated content. Using an exploratory approach, we collected and analyzed 856 internet memes related to various environmental topics. Our findings shed light on the human and social implications of environmental degradation. Although they use a humoristic tone, many memes suggest that the users who created and/or shared them suffer from psychological discomfort; they experience eco-anxiety, perceived lack of control, and lack of faith in the future. Our results also stress the social consequences in terms of in-group/out-group opposition. Environmental concerns emerge as an important component to categorize individuals and to define social identity. Moreover, our analysis emphasizes the existence of stereotypical representations of all the actors involved in the environmental crisis and the recurring tendency to anthropomorphize earth. Overall, we propose that engaging in content generation in the form of memes enables individuals to feel re-empowered and reduce the psychological distress they experience due to climate change. We discuss our findings in relation to relevant theoretical frameworks.

Keywords: Climate change; User-generated content; Psychological well-being; Eco-anxiety; Social identity; Internet memes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:187:y:2021:i:c:s0921800921001476

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107089

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