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Building on past theoretical and empirical work on legacy motives, temporal discounting and intergenerational action, we investigated whether legacy motives can be understood as composed of two related but distinct latent dimensions: “impact” motives (i.e., caring about the positive impact one has on future generations) and “reputation” motives (i.e., caring about whether one is remembered positively). Across five online studies (total N = 1,745), we found consistent support for this two-factor model of legacy motives. Although both legacy motives correlated strongly with one-another (rs ranging from .44 to .74), impact legacy motives related to greater self-reports of environmental movement activism, personal conservation behaviors, and climate change concern relative to the effects of reputation motives, which appear contingent on the perceived visibility of a pro-environmental behavior. We consider the need to understand the dual nature of legacy motives as crucial for the creation of more effective interventions to increase intergenerational concern.

Two studies examined what people imagine when asked to imagine a sustainable world. The characteristics of this imagined world represent Environmental Cognitive Alternatives (ECA’s)–ways in which humans could have a different and more sustainable relationship with the rest of nature. In Study 1, participants (n=624) in an online survey responded to an open-ended question asking them to imagine and describe a world in which humans are living sustainably with the natural world. Responses were then coded thematically to reveal the frequency of different types of content. In Study 2, semi-structured interviews were conducted with undergraduate students to provide a richer understanding of how activists (n=11) and non-activists (n=11) describe ECA’s. These interviews were then analyzed to identify themes and patterns in the data (Braun & Clark, 2006). In both studies, we found that that participant’s imagined worlds involved alternative energy and other new technology, but also included differences in how humans relate to other humans. In Study 2 we found that activist participants possessed a richer understanding of the interconnectedness between social issues and environmental issues, including a more nuanced understanding of the roles of technology and social justice.

Building a more sustainable and equitable future is a long and arduous task. Agents working towards social change face oftentimes fierce social, political and structural opposition that can have a huge negative impact on interpersonal relationships and mental health. Activist burnout is common, and social support can predict relapse for groups like vegans and vegetarians who change their everyday behaviour in line with their morals. Prefiguration involves “creating pockets of the future in the present”- demonstrating to people that a future is possible by allowing them to experience it first-hand. In this talk, I discuss the psychological value of two such environments: The Vegan Campout in the UK and Burning Man in the US. I argue that despite their stark differences, both of these (temporary) environments provide an important source of efficacy and esteem to activist groups and individuals pursuing societal change by allowing them to experience a microcosm of the future they are working towards. I explore how both environments embrace radical modes of living, in a consumerist and anti-consumerist context. I share preliminary qualitative results from these two environments showing the benefits of attending for reinvigorating identities, personal development, joy and social connection. I also propose a novel research programme for investigating the impact of these environments on activism and behaviour change further, in both those who are, and those who aren’t sympathetic to the future desired. Overall, this research combines approaches from psychology, sociology and politics to provide an account of future-oriented behaviour and societal change.