Lists of ecological emotion words

The following lists have been developed and used by eco-anxiety researcher Panu Pihkala, Ph.D. They have been used both in educational settings and in sessions about psychological well-being. 

Please note that these are not comprehensive lists. All kinds of feelings and emotions may have dimensions related to environmental issues and experiences. For further reading, see the handbooks of ecological emotions by Panu Pihkala (2019, in Finnish: Mieli maassa? Ympäristötunteet) and Glenn Albrecht (2019, Earth Emotions).

Lists that are used in environmental education, communication, and psychology should be edited to suit the context that they are used in. 

It is always a good idea to ask people to invent words themselves for ecological emotions.

 

List 1: common ecological emotions

care

compassion

frustration

anger

sadness

curiosity

relief

joy

shock

overwhelm

fear

anxiety

worry

sense of belonging

confusion

awe

wonder

guilt

melancholia

pride

fatigue

disgust

determination

gratitude

shame

feeling inadequate

hope

meaningfulness

bittersweet feelings

peace / calm

 

List 2: common climate emotions

overwhelm

confusion

desire to do something to solve problems

helplessness

dread

guilt

frustration

anger

moral outrage

anxiety

fear

grief

sadness

fascination

despair

desperate hope

melancholia

compassion

awe

 

List 3: list of emotion words to be used in schools

(with children and youth)

 

confusion

compassion

anger

hope

guilt

fear

worry

sadness

powerlessness

enthusiasm (desire to do something good)

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