Trying to connect with people who actively disagree with you is a good way to lose your cool (pun intended). While a hot-button issue like climate change may seem like a gulf too wide to fill, research has shown that there are actually productive ways to engage with people on the other side of the issue. For starters, stop thinking in terms of "us versus them." The moment we stop thinking of people as individuals and cast them as members of a group, we risk creating stereotypes. Assumptions such as "they just want to ruin the planet" or "they only care about themselves" limit the potential for dialogue. It is important to actually engage with individuals and, more importantly, to listen to what they have to say. [It is tempting to just regurgitate statistics and cite studies about how climate change is melting icebergs and endangering sea turtles, but facts do not necessarily change minds. People have reasons for their beliefs, and those reasons are not always obvious. Ask about their values and look for commonalities. For example, if the person's biggest concern is what opportunities his or her grandchildren will have, explain how renewable energy is creating more jobs.

Another point to keep in mind when encouraging others to increase their environmental awareness: guilt is ineffective. When people are told they should feel guilty for not making sustainable choices, they become defensive. Data from Columbia University's Center for Environmental Decision Research shows that a more effective approach is to emphasize the other person's pride. Reminding people that they can really make a difference is a more powerful motivator.

Dr. Samantha Boardman is a clinical instructor of psychiatry and assistant psychiatrist at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York and founder of positiveprescription.com. (Open in new tab)

This article originally appeared in the April 2020 issue of Marie Claire.

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