Readers’ Emulation of Green Behaviours in Fiction: A Case Study of Habitat Man

Baden, Denise (2023) Readers’ Emulation of Green Behaviours in Fiction: A Case Study of Habitat Man. In Accelerating Sustainability in the Creative Economy and Creative Industries.

Abstract

Increasing numbers of writers are turning to fiction as a way to engage a broader audience in the realities of climate change. Most climate fiction is dystopian and set in the future. The hope is that by raising awareness of the harmful consequences of climate change, readers will take action. However well intentioned, there have been critiques that it has not been as effective in prompting the necessary behaviour change as hoped. A key issue is that it is those who are already aware who tend to read climate fiction. Also the dystopian approach can lead to counterproductive negative emotions such as denial, avoidance, depression, eco-anxiety and a kind of passive despair rather than effective action. Another finding is that attitudinal effects after reading climate fiction tend to diminish to non-significance after one month. This paper reports on 55 (UK and US) readers’ responses to Habitat Man written to address the common critiques of climate fiction, i.e. that it preaches to the converted, and that the dystopian focus leads to denial, avoidance and eco-anxiety rather than sustained and effective behaviour change. It also draws upon research indicating the solution-focused green stories with characters readers’ can identify with, engaging in green practices that are easily imitable, are the most ways for stories to inspire adoption of green practices.

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Contributors

Author: Denise Baden

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