How do climate future projections influence pro-environmental attitudes, behaviors, emotions and related psychological distress? A systematic review of experimental evidence

In response to the ecological crisis's urgency and severity, many young people have lost hope for the future. Reconsidering how we envision our own future and that of our society concerning climate change offers a relevant approach to foster hope. By doing so, episodic future projections related to ecological transition can motivate the adoption of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors by individuals, as well as influence their climate-related emotions and psychological distress. While current literature generally focuses broadly on future-oriented thinking in contrast to present- or past-oriented thinking, we propose to delve deeper by investigating the manner in which the content and characteristics of these future projections (e.g. positive versus negative future scenarios; pragmatic versus utopian narratives) influence climate action and psychological outcomes. At the BSCA conference, we will present the results of a systematic review that aims to clarify how different types of climate future projections affect the adoption of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. As an additional research question, we also explore how these varying future projections influence emotions and psychological distress related to ecological transition. This review is pre-registered on PROSPERO and follows PRISMA statements. By undertaking a qualitative analysis of included experimental studies, we aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the current research landscape in this domain, including recent knowledge and methodologies. The results presented will also suggest promising directions for forthcoming research.