Emotion needed to sustain action

Recent advances in behavioural and decision science also tell us that emotion is an integral part of our thinking, perceptions and behaviour, and can be essential for making well-judged decisions. Although it can cloud judgment emotion can provide cues valuable to evaluating evidence and the people who provide it. Emotion creates the abiding commitments needed to sustain action on difficult problems, such as climate change. It motivates climate scientists, as well as their audiences and critics. Clear, respectful messages can reduce the destructive emotions of impatience, frustration and anger, and appropriately framed emotional appeals can motivate action, given the right supporting conditions (in particular a sense of personal vulnerability, viable ways to act, feelings of personal control and the support of others).

Nick Pidgeon and Baruch Fischhoff (2011) The role of social and decision sciences in communicating uncertain climate risks Nature Climate Change 1:35-41. doi:10.1038/nclimate1080