Posted in News on 19th March 2024
For many of us, the climate crisis and surrounding messaging can inspire feelings of fear, helplessness and anxiety. Oftentimes it might feel like there is no solution to the challenges posed by global warming. So what can museums and other cultural organisations do to get away from this and to talk about the issue in a way that inspires action?
Our bespoke system for understanding how likely each of the eight Culture Segments are to act for the planet, what motivates the action, and what messaging might drive them into further action highlights that doom and gloom messaging simply won’t inspire positive action and change in all groups, and can often lead to a feeling of paralysis.
Our research has found that the four most culturally active segments (Essence, Expression, Stimulation and Affirmation) each have different drivers for taking action to help the environment:
Essence have high levels of agency and empathy, and are likely to take individual action based on their principle that it’s urgent, worthwhile and our responsibility.
Expression have the highest levels of empathy of all the segments. They also feel that joining forces to take action is more effective and are driven by positive emotion and a sense of community.
Affirmation have a strong sense of environmental threat and concern which tends to leave them paralyzed. They need clear support and direction in order to take action
Stimulation tend to have faith in the ability of tech to provide solutions. They love a cause or campaign and are driven to take action by a sense of justice.
We found that none of these Segments are driven by stress, fear or guilt, and that these emotions are more likely to lead to a lack of action for some.
Additionally, The Association of Independent Museums (AIM)’s recent report, ‘Pleasure, Connection and Purpose’ also found that the public had the strongest response to museum campaigns more generally when strong personal emotions of purpose, such as pride, fulfilment and hope, were cultivated.
We’ve compiled some examples of museums and cultural organizations internationally who chose to take a more positive approach to thinking and talking about climate change, focusing instead on potential solutions to the challenges facing our planet.
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