A more dynamic understanding of human behaviour for the Anthropocene

Caroline Schill, John M. Anderies, Therese Lindahl (), Carl Folke, Stephen Polasky, Juan-Camilo Cardenas, Anne-Sophie Crépin, Marco A. Janssen, Jon Norberg and Maja Schlüter
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Caroline Schill: The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
John M. Anderies: School of Sustainability, Arizona State University
Therese Lindahl: The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Carl Folke: The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Stephen Polasky: University of Minnesota
Anne-Sophie Crépin: The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Marco A. Janssen: School of Sustainability, Arizona State University
Jon Norberg: Stockholm University
Maja Schlüter: Stockholm University

Nature Sustainability, 2019, vol. 2, issue 12, 1075-1082

Abstract: Abstract Human behaviour is of profound significance in shaping pathways towards sustainability. Yet, the approach to understanding human behaviour in many fields remains reliant on overly simplistic models. For a better understanding of the interface between human behaviour and sustainability, we take work in behavioural economics and cognitive psychology as a starting point, but argue for an expansion of this work by adopting a more dynamic and systemic understanding of human behaviour, that is, as part of complex adaptive systems. A complex adaptive systems approach allows us to capture behaviour as ‘enculturated’ and ‘enearthed’, co-evolving with socio–cultural and biophysical contexts. Connecting human behaviour and context through a complex adaptive systems lens is critical to inform environmental governance and management for sustainability, and ultimately to better understand the dynamics of the Anthropocene itself.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41893-019-0419-7

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