NEWS

2022.09.06

【Report】 The Lecture Session of Professor Peg Barratt (The George Washington University/ Senior Researcher at Ritsumeikan University) entitled ‘Sustainable Development Goals and Psychology: Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology, Behavior Change

The Lecture Session of Professor Peg Barratt (The George Washington University/ Senior Researcher at Ritsumeikan University) entitled ‘Sustainable Development Goals and Psychology: Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology, Behavior Change’ was held!

Professor Peg Barratt (The George Washington University/ Senior Researcher at Ritsumeikan University) gave a lecture entitled ‘Sustainable Development Goals and Psychology: Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology, Behavior Change’. A large number of people participated in this lecture session held in a hybrid form both online and centered on Ibaraki Campus (Osaka), Ritsumeikan University.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are attracting attention across international society are being actively addressed by Ritsumeikan University as well. In her lecture session, Professor Barratt explained how psychology can contribute to solving international issues raised by SDGs, and specifically how developmental psychology and social psychology can contribute within psychology, with specific examples so that participants could understand the essential points of the relationships between psychology and SDGs. For example, she talked about how the Nudge Theory and the accumulated knowledge of social psychology, such as ‘Foot-in-the-door’ and Self-persuasion, can have a quite powerful effect in changing people’s behavior toward solving the challenges of SDGs, and she cited ‘solar cooking’ as a practical example.

Everyone was impressed by Professor Barratt’s uniquely interactive presentation style and her direct discussions with the attendees as she walked around the room with a microphone, asking questions and rewarding those who answered with small gifts. In this way, the atmosphere became calm, but was active and exciting at the same time.