José Q. Pinheiro

Environmental Belief Systems United States, Brazil, and Mexico

This study analyzes responses from 505 undergraduates from the United States, Mexico, and Brazil to the New Environmental Paradigm (NEP) scale. This instrument typically measured the separation from nature (Human Exception Paradigm) from the NEP as a dichotomy. Using confirmatory factor analysis, a trifactorial structure emerged from the Brazilians and Mexicans and a bifactorial from the U.S. sample. The United States held the most dichotomous view, the Mexicans were also dichotomous but less extreme, and the Brazilians seemed to see no need for a separation between nature and growth.

Estratégias de coleta de dados com trabalhadores de baixa escolaridade

Um olhar para as pesquisas desenvolvidas no campo da Psicologia Organizacional e do Trabalho no Brasil aponta que os pesquisadores optam por estudar categorias ocupacionais cujos trabalhadores sao mais instruidos. Tal realidade minimiza as possibilidades de generalizacao e de aplicacao dos resultados. Alguns pesquisadores, entretanto, insistem em focalizar as categorias mais desfavorecidas e concentradoras de pessoas com baixa escolaridade. Que opcoes metodologicas realizam? Quais instrumentos usam? Com o objetivo de trazer respostas a estas questoes, foram levantadas as tecnicas de coleta de dados utilizadas pelos pesquisadores. O uso de questionario estruturado e viabilizado como tecnica de coleta de dados, na qual se recorre ao uso de gradacoes de tonalidades de cores em substituicao as escalas tradicionais. Por fim, apresenta-se uma proposta baseada na combinacao de tecnicas. A divulgacao da proposta pode contribuir para enfrentar o desafio da relevância social e da generalizacao dos resultados das pesquisas.

Condições para o estudo do comportamento pró-ambiental

Revisa-se o estado atual da investigacao do comportamento pro-ambiental (CPA), assinalando as condicoes que, segundo os autores, poderiam resultar em obstaculos ou vantagens para essa area de pesquisa. Dentre essas condicoes, discutem-se o papel desempenhado pela quantidade e qualidade das variaveis preditoras no poder explicativo dos modelos, o problema dos auto-relatos como metodos de mensuracao do CPA, o efeito dos contextos de investigacao, as influencias dos sistemas de analise de dados e a suposta universalidade do CPA.

Desenvolvimento sustentável: um discurso sobre a relação entre desenvolvimento e natureza

Hugo Juliano Duarte Matias²Jose de Queiroz PinheiroUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, BrasilResumo: Trata-se do estudo de definicoes de desenvolvimento sustentavel, elemento fundamental de repertoriosinterpretativos para a relacao entre desenvolvimento e natureza. As definicoes respondiam a um questionario aplicadoa 355 estudantes de varios cursos de uma universidade federal. Realizou-se uma analise de conteudo que buscou aconcepcao de natureza e sua relacao com desenvolvimento nessas definicoes. Foram encontradas tres matrizesdiscursivas: (a) “economicista”) – a necessidade de desenvolvimento subordina a necessidade de preservacao danatureza, cujo sentido e “recursos naturais”; (b) discurso “bem intencionado” – a necessidade de desenvolvimentosubordina a de preservacao da natureza, cujo sentido e “fragilidade”; (c) “esvaziado” – desenvolvimento e naturezasao disjuntos. Conclui-se sobre a importância do estudo da atribuicao de significado a natureza para explicar como aspessoas pensam a relacao entre desenvolvimento e natureza, e sobre como essas matrizes discursivas podem justificarpraticas sociais.PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Desenvolvimento sustentavel; comportamento pro-ambiental; concepcao de natureza; PsicologiaAmbiental.SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: A DISCOURSE ABOUTTHE RELATION BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT AND NATUREAbstract: This study presents the analysis of definitions of sustainable development, as a basic element of interpretativerepertoires for the relation between development and nature. Three hundred and fifty five students of several coursesof a federal university answered a questionnaire, providing the definitions, thereafter submitted to content analysis toexamine the concept of nature and its relation with development. Three discursive matrixes were found: (a) the“economic bias” one – the necessity of development subordinates the need of nature preservation – nature is a“natural resources”; (b) the “good intentions” discourse – the necessity of development subordinates the necessity ofpreservation – nature is “fragility”; (c) the “empty” one – development and nature are separate. It is concluded thatthe attribution of meaning to nature is important to explain how people think about the relation between developmentand nature, and that these discursive matrixes may justify social practices.KEYWORDS: Sustainable development; pro-environmental behavior; concept of nature; Environmental Psychology.O tema do desenvolvimento sustentavel tem feitoconvergir interesses politicos, cientificos e da sociedadede modo geral, ja que, num contexto de agravamento dacrise ambiental e do aumento de consciencia dessa crise,o desenvolvimento sustentavel foi e continua sendo apre-sentado como uma proposta e tentativa de solucionar talproblema.Esse tema tem despertado o interesse de cientistassociais, ecologos, planejadores urbanos, economistas epoliticos. Tambem de psicologos de diversos paises, oque se evidencia pelo surgimento de pesquisas e expres-siva bibliografia acerca de temas relacionados ao desen-volvimento sustentavel (Bonnes & Bonaiuto, 2002;McKenzie-Mohr & Oskamp, 1995; Oskamp, 2000; Pol,2002; Schmuck & Schultz, 2002).Segundo Pol (2001), no que diz respeito a criseambiental, esse conceito tem a vantagem de se apresen-tar como ponto de encontro entre interesses economicosde desenvolvimento, que nao podem ser ignorados, e in-teresses ecologicos de preservacao das condicoes

O lugar e o papel da Psicologia Ambiental no estudo das questões humano-ambientais, segundo grupos de pesquisa brasileiros

In this article, the author answers the guiding questions based on the database of Diretorio Nacional de Grupos de Pesquisa do CNPq (research groups enrolled at CNPq - Brazilian Council of Scientific and Technological Development), and on the Collection of Theses of CAPES (Brazilian Ministry of Educations foundation for the qualification of higher education professors). He begins by commenting on his professional experience and by mentioning that he is the coordinator of REPALA (Latin-American Environmental Psychology Network), presenting some positive characteristics of the area and some difficulties that have been faced. Based on the data analysis he discusses, among other topics, the relation between Psychology and Environmental Psychology, pointing to the existence of many Environmental Psychologies. He presents suggestions for a harmonious and productive development of the area.

In search of a positive framework for communications about Global Climate Change. Positive communication about Global Climate Change / En busca de un encuadre positivo en la comunicación sobre el cambio climático global. Comunicaciones positivas sobre el cambio climático global

Abstract After decades of wide spreading, Global Climate Change (GCC) is still rarely present in people’s minds and hearts or public policies. More recently, studies are suggesting that the catastrophic tone typically used in the dissemination of the topic should be replaced by positive approaches that would facilitate acceptance and participation of the general public in mitigative actions. In order to explore such possibility, we interviewed eight advertisers and eight environmentalists, asking them to design publicity campaigns aimed at new strategies of persuasion that would motivate palpable and proactive reactions from the public. The majority of the interviewees (13) were able to delineate positive campaigns whose content allowed the identification of important categories of such strategies. Our study indicates the importance of the joint collaboration among distinct professionals in the complex communication processes about GCC, so that irrelevant details may be discarded in favour of what is most relevant.

Vivendo a vizinhança: interfaces pessoa-ambiente na producao de vizinhancas "Vivas"

Neighborhoods have already been recognized as places of intense socialization and cultural production. However, due to changes in urbanization and social relations processes, they seem to be losing space and meaning. Nevertheless, some neighborhoods maintain their “live form”. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify and to characterize such places, here named as “alive” neighborhoods. From a panel of experts , we tried to identify elements which characterize these neighborhoods, factors which enable their development/maintenance, and those that hinder this process. The “alive” neighborhoods were characterized in their social, environmental and cultural aspects. Socialization, intimacy, cooperation, the usage of its space and local institutions, besides specific symbols, bring the mentioned life to these places. These relations are enabled by familiarity, elements of rootedness, spatial contact, and cultural inheritance. In this neighborhood context the affective dimension is important, for it is responsible for feelings of cohesion, security and attachment to the place.

Energy Issues: Psychological Aspects

Human beings have always needed energy in order to survive. However, unlike other living organisms, human civilizations have developed tools throughout history and found new forms of energy to power them. As these tools have increased in complexity, humans have ensured their own well-being although this has come at a price to life on earth. This chapter presents the development of research concerning energy use from an environmental psychology perspective. In general, the studies in environmental psychology about energy are organized into two major topics: renewable energies and both efficient and reduced energy use (concern and saving). To present these studies, the chapter is divided into four sections. The first provides a short introduction to the social and psychological aspects of energy issues. The second explores the production and distribution of energy through studies about the acceptance and rejection of renewable energy production and distribution systems, including topics such as participation, place identity and perception of landscape change. Section three deals with energy efficiency and includes studies about managing demand, the use of energy-efficient devices and questions of how to prevent the rebound effect. The final section explores energy sufficiency through studies concerning energy demands, different energy cultures and sustainable energy communities.

Janelas para a percepção infantil de ambientes naturais

Presentamos un panorama de las investigaciones recientes que utilizan el dibujo como herramienta metodologica para investigar la percepcion que los ninos tienen de los ambientes naturales. Senalamos sus principales presupuestos y hallazgos, buscando establecer un dialogo con nuestra propia investigacion. Describimos nuestra investigacion exploratoria y descriptiva sobre la percepcion ambiental infantil de ambientes naturales protegidos, realizada con un grupo de 209 ninos de seis a once anos, en un area de Mata Atlantica en el sur de Bahia, Brasil. Discutimos la importancia del uso del dibujo y tambien senalamos sus limitaciones, argumentando en favor de un abordaje multimetodos. Evidenciamos los principales hallazgos y reflexiones de nuestra investigacion indicando cuestiones que juzgamos pertinentes para futuras investigaciones que usen el dibujo para acceder la percepcion que ninos tienen de los ambientes naturalesWe present a panorama of the recent literature that uses the drawing as methodological tool to investigate children’s perception of natural environments. We discuss their main assumptions and findings, searching to establish a dialogue with our own inquiry. We describe our exploratory and descriptive research with 209 children, aged six to eleven, in a Rain Forest context in Bahia, Brazil. We discuss the relevance of the use of the drawings and also point its limitations, arguing for a multimethod approach. After discussing our findings we indicate relevant issues for future studies that choose drawings to access children’s perceptions of natural environments.

Psicologia Ambiental: espaços construídos, problemas ambientais, sustentabilidade

Estavamos no primeiro semestre de 2002 quando o entao Editor desta Revista, Oswaldo H. Yamamoto, convidou-me a organizar uma edicao tematica sobre Psicologia Ambiental. Varias reunioes cientificas relativas ao assunto estavam prestes a acontecer, possivelmente em resposta a crescente demanda pelo tema que se tem observado nos ultimos anos em nosso pais, fruto do conjunto de formidaveis desafios que estao postos ao nosso modelo de civilizacao, no sentido de precisarmos compreender – para tentarmos administrar melhor – as complexas relacoes reciprocas entre pessoa e ambiente.