Considering the role of behaviors in sustainability and climate change education

At the heart of sustainability and climate change education discourse is the notion of student behavioral change, as an emphasized goal. The central positioning of behavior modification raises moral and ethical concerns, as well as concerns regarding the impacts on student well-being. In addressing...

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Main Author: Efrat Eilam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1394326/full
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author Efrat Eilam
author_facet Efrat Eilam
author_sort Efrat Eilam
collection DOAJ
description At the heart of sustainability and climate change education discourse is the notion of student behavioral change, as an emphasized goal. The central positioning of behavior modification raises moral and ethical concerns, as well as concerns regarding the impacts on student well-being. In addressing these issues, this conceptual paper interrogates the role ascribed to student behavior in sustainability education and climate change education. Multiple lenses are applied to critique the behavioral modification approach. Finally, it is proposed to reframe the role of behavior and to conceptualize behavior as forming part of ethics education, where the focus shifts from assigning behavior an instrumental role to conceptualizing its intrinsic educational value.
format Article
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spelling doaj-art-65801459d4414d07ad5766df25b07bfa2025-08-20T02:53:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-04-011510.3389/fpsyg.2024.13943261394326Considering the role of behaviors in sustainability and climate change educationEfrat EilamAt the heart of sustainability and climate change education discourse is the notion of student behavioral change, as an emphasized goal. The central positioning of behavior modification raises moral and ethical concerns, as well as concerns regarding the impacts on student well-being. In addressing these issues, this conceptual paper interrogates the role ascribed to student behavior in sustainability education and climate change education. Multiple lenses are applied to critique the behavioral modification approach. Finally, it is proposed to reframe the role of behavior and to conceptualize behavior as forming part of ethics education, where the focus shifts from assigning behavior an instrumental role to conceptualizing its intrinsic educational value.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1394326/fullclimate change educationsustainability educationbehaviorcollective actionclimate action
spellingShingle Efrat Eilam
Considering the role of behaviors in sustainability and climate change education
Frontiers in Psychology
climate change education
sustainability education
behavior
collective action
climate action
title Considering the role of behaviors in sustainability and climate change education
title_full Considering the role of behaviors in sustainability and climate change education
title_fullStr Considering the role of behaviors in sustainability and climate change education
title_full_unstemmed Considering the role of behaviors in sustainability and climate change education
title_short Considering the role of behaviors in sustainability and climate change education
title_sort considering the role of behaviors in sustainability and climate change education
topic climate change education
sustainability education
behavior
collective action
climate action
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1394326/full
work_keys_str_mv AT efrateilam consideringtheroleofbehaviorsinsustainabilityandclimatechangeeducation