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Laura Thomas-Walters

@laurathowal.bsky.social

Environmental social scientist @ Yale University (YPCCC) Working on climate activism, plant-based diets, messaging experiments etc. https://lathowal.wixsite.com/laura-thomas-walters

1,471 Followers  |  708 Following  |  15 Posts  |  Joined: 29.09.2023  |  1.7232

Latest posts by laurathowal.bsky.social on Bluesky

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Essential skills for the training of conservation social scientists Since 2000, the field of biodiversity conservation has been reckoning with the historical lack of effective engagement with the social sciences in parallel with rapid declines in biodiversity and esc...

conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... πŸ§ͺ🌎

02.04.2025 17:08 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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πŸ“ What affects the durability of persuasion? In our new working paper, through a five wave panel study over ten weeks, we evaluate the impact of two factors: how many times individuals are treated (dosage) and the interval between treatments (timing).

1/x

01.04.2025 14:56 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
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In this important and timely book, scientists from a broad range of disciplines detail their personal responses to the planetary crisis. #ScientistsOnSurvival

With a foreword from Chris Packham

Buy your copy now: πŸ”— xrb.link/q0XP4C

@carolinelucas.bsky.social
@zadiesmith.bsky.social

12.03.2025 18:29 β€” πŸ‘ 50    πŸ” 30    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 3

🚨New paper!🚨

Super happy to share "The impacts of climate activism", out now in Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences.

We review 50 of the most recent and rigorous studies evaluating the impact of climate activism.

authors.elsevier.com/c/1kjT88MqMi...

07.03.2025 11:52 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Scientists on Survival by Scientists for XR | Waterstones Buy Scientists on Survival by Scientists for XR from Waterstones today! Click and Collect from your local Waterstones or get FREE UK delivery on orders over Β£25.

Oops, here's the correct link! www.waterstones.com/book/scienti...

22.02.2025 11:42 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

β€˜Beware – this is a dangerous book …’
β€” @carolinelucas.bsky.social, Former Green Party Leader

β€˜... We’re lucky to have it.’
β€” @zadiesmith.bsky.social, Author

22.02.2025 11:38 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

With a foreword by @chrisgpackham.bsky.social, this powerful collection reveals the raw, personal stories of scientists confronting the planetary emergencyβ€”and why they couldn’t stay silent.

22.02.2025 11:38 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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I have a coauthored book, 'Scientists on Survival!', coming out next month with @scientistsx.bsky.social, and preorders this weekend will get 25% off with @waterstones.bsky.social!

waterstones.com/campaign/feb...

22.02.2025 11:38 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

The insights collected through this review provide practical advice for developing closed-answer surveys that robustly and usefully measure key determinants of pro-environmental behaviour. /end

20.02.2025 18:01 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

We synthesize design considerations for different question formats, such as using validated measures, reducing cognitive burden and biases, and using best practices for scale questions. /5

20.02.2025 18:01 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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To select effective interventions for pro-environmental behaviour change, we need to consider determinants of behaviour - Nature Human Behaviour When and why are interventions to encourage pro-environmental behaviour effective? van Valkengoed and colleagues introduce a classification system that links different interventions to the determinant...

A recent review did a great job summarizing the behavioural determinants of pro-environmental behaviour. Hunter Doughty and I built on it by providing practical insights into how 17 key pro-environmental behavioural determinants can be measured through surveys.

www.nature.com/articles/s41... /4

20.02.2025 18:01 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

However, despite (a lot of) published criticism of poor survey design, there is little practical guidance on how to capture these determinants accurately in closed-answer surveys (those with predefined answer options). /3

20.02.2025 18:01 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

There are many factors influence whether someone engages in pro-environmental behaviour, and understanding these determinants is super important to efforts to protect the natural environment. /2

20.02.2025 18:01 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Measuring pro-environmental behavioural determinants using closed-answer surveys | Oryx | Cambridge Core Measuring pro-environmental behavioural determinants using closed-answer surveys

🚨 New paper out - "Measuring pro-environmental behavioural determinants using closed-answer surveys"🚨

www.cambridge.org/core/journal... /1

20.02.2025 18:01 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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That feels too real right now...

10.01.2025 18:38 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Well, at least it pushed me to finally delete my WhatsApp, Instagram, and while I was at it, Twitter accounts.

09.01.2025 17:33 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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1/ Does climate activism work?

The short answer is yes, and there's been lots of research this year showing how

Here are some highlights
🧡

22.12.2024 19:24 β€” πŸ‘ 912    πŸ” 455    πŸ’¬ 34    πŸ“Œ 51
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No, the Fight for the Climate Isn’t β€œOver” The fate of our climate depends on much more than just which party controls Washington. Despite their current celebrations, polluters will remain vulnerable under President Trump.

jacobin.com/2024/12/clim...

03.12.2024 11:08 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
The Psychology of the Climate Crisis - 1Β  Teaching the Psychology of the Climate Crisis

1. Herewith a 🧡 to a blog post and also recent 🧡 by the always admirable @russpoldrack.bsky.social

climatecrisispsychology.github.io/chapters/psy...

β€œOverall, the research that we reviewed left me with little hope that psych interventions will be able to play a major role in solving the problem.”

27.11.2024 18:26 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Any Psychology/Environmental departments interested in a seminar about climate activism?

Have been doing a lot of research with
Extinction Rebellion and other orgs, w/ multiple papers under review/in prep.

12.11.2024 10:40 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

@laurathowal is following 20 prominent accounts