Language Research on Sustainability, Ecology, and Pro-environmental Behavior

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Background

This Research Topic showcases research investigating topics within the realms of sustainability, ecology, and culture in psycholinguistics and language sciences.

The language used to communicate and the words used to frame a discourse around climate, biodiversity and other sustainability issues deeply influences perceptions, and therefore impacts subsequent behaviors. Thus, language directly contributes to pro-environmental behaviors (or the lack thereof): an intersection increasingly referred to as eco-linguistics.

Notably, language diversity goes hand in hand with cultural and biodiversity: In places with high biodiversity, one also finds high levels of linguistic diversity. Furthermore, research demonstrates a related association between cultural traditions in some indigenous languages that have more concepts and words for natural phenomena and the ability to co-exist – and thrive – together with nature.

Language also reflects knowledge, and as the world’s populations increasingly urbanizes, knowledge about and connections to the natural environment are being lost, along with the words and languages used to relate to these ecosystems. Arguably, through globalization and urbanization, language richness is increasingly diminished. There is much we can learn from language generally, and particularly from language diversity, in the endeavors to attain a sustainable global population.

Some of the questions this issue aims to create a platform for are: How does language influence pro-environmental behaviors and sustainable actions?; How might language about the natural world change with increasing urbanization and what effect might these changes have on sustainable behavior? How might language shape sustainable identities? How is language used to promote/demote climate action?

What is more, sustainability is a global issue and language research around these issues is predominately conducted in western contexts. This issue also aims to offer a platform for diversifying the discourse on language research related to promoting a more sustainable future by highlighting research on languages beyond those such as English, which are most prominent in the literature.

Language and the environment, ecology and sustainability, are intricately linked. Language can be used to both promote and detract from pro-environmental behaviors and is used to shape perceptions and action. For example, research in language sciences demonstrates how the use of “climate crisis” and “climate emergency” vs “climate change” lead to perceptions of a more serious problem and this research has influenced The Guardian newspaper to adopt such language in its articles. Furthermore, research demonstrates how indigenous languages often have more nature centered vocabulary and expressions which may help to promote pro-environmental behaviors, English being a seemingly poor language in this regard, and understanding how these languages shape perception and how researchers might work with indigenous communities is an interesting path forward. Overall, how language can be best harnessed to contribute to a sustainable future is an important research question. Not only can newspapers better use language for promoting sustainable cognition and behavior, but so to can others, such as educators and policy makers, benefit from these findings. Further, an issue arises that the most prominently researched languages are those from WEIRD countries, in this issue we also propose to strive to promote research in language sciences beyond the world’s lingua franca and whenever possible, also promote research conducted by researchers and in locations less associated with the predominately western culture.

Types of Articles: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/for-authors/article-types
Original research, Systematic Review, Review, Policy and Practice Reviews, Perspective, Empirical study, Curriculum Instruction and Pedagogy, Policy Brief, Brief Research Report, Opinion

Scope: Research on (eco)-linguistic and discursive perspectives play central roles in how information and knowledge on climate change is represented, disseminated and interpreted, and in turn influences discourse, policy making, cognition and behavior. Therefore, it is critical to understand how language can be harnessed to create positive change. Researchers are invited to submit articles that investigate interactions between language and sustainability/pro-environmental cognition and/or behavior and how culture may be intricately linked to these factors. This special issue focuses on language and its central role in the global need for a sustainable future and is encourages contributions from researchers working in non-WEIRD* countries or on non-WEIRD topics in an effort to promote diversity in language research.

*WEIRD is an acronym used to refer to western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic countries and on their populations and cultures. Non-WEIRD research thus refers to an effort to understand human psychology with an increasingly diverse and representative perspective.

Keywords: psycholinguistics, eco-linguistics, sustainability, language use, language acquisition, language ecology, language production, language comprehension, non-WEIRD research

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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