Call for Papers

Special Issue in the Asian Journal of Social Psychology

Title:
The Social Psychology of Climate Change in the Asian Context

Guest editors:
Kim-Pong Tam, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (kevintam@ust.hk)
Angela K.-y. Leung, Singapore Management University (angelaleung@smu.edu.sg)
Susan Clayton, The College of Wooster (SCLAYTON@wooster.edu)

Introduction:
Climate change is one of the biggest challenges Asian countries now face. Asia as a whole is a
primary contributor to carbon emissions. According to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy
2018, the Asia Pacific region alone accounts for almost half of the world’s total emissions. In
addition, many Asian countries are highly vulnerable to climate risks. According to the Global
Climate Risk Index 2019, among the 10 countries most affected by extreme weather events in the past
two decades, five were Asian.

Reduction of carbon emissions and adaptation to climate risks necessitate behavioral change by actors
at all levels (e.g., individual citizens, communities, businesses, governments), social psychology, the
scientific study of human behavior in their social and cultural settings, has much to contribute in these
areas. For example, social psychological knowledge can offer insights as to how people understand
the happening of climate change and evaluate its risks, why they are willing vs. unwilling to change
their lifestyle to help reduce carbon emissions, to what extent they support vs. reject climate
adaptation policies, and how social interactions might be affected by climate change.

In view of the impending threat of climate change in Asia, the role of Asian social psychology cannot
be understated. Accordingly, this special issue in the Asian Journal of Social Psychology is designed
with the following goals: (1) to stimulate interest by social psychologists and other social scientists in
climate change-related phenomena, particularly in the Asian context; (2) to enrich the understanding
of climate change by illustrating the relevance of concepts and theories in social psychology and also
cultural psychology; and (3) to introduce to the global audience the contributions by Asian social
psychologists in the understanding of climate change.

Submission procedures and requirements:

Studies focusing on Asian societies and Asian populations are preferred. For cross-cultural or cross-
national works, comparisons involving Asian societies and populations are preferred. Studies using
actual behaviors or impact measures as outcome variables are encouraged. Meta-analyses, replications
(ideally pre-registered), and multi-disciplinary works are welcome.

To submit a paper for consideration in this special issue, please first submit a 2-page, single-spaced
abstract to the Guest Editors via email by 30 September 2019. The abstract must present completed
empirical work and illustrate the relevance of social psychology concepts and theories to climate
change-related phenomena. It must state the theoretical background and purpose of the investigation,
the methods and principal results, and the major conclusions. Citations are allowed, and references
should be listed on a separate page.

The Guest Editors will review all abstracts and invite submission of full manuscripts for selected
papers. The deadline for submission of the full manuscript is 29 February 2020. The full manuscript
must be original and not under consideration by any other journals. Regular articles (8,000 words),
which report multiple studies, or a complex analysis of a single study, are preferred, but short notes
(4,000 words), which report multiple studies or a single study in a brief manner, will also be
considered. The word restrictions apply to the entire manuscript, including the title page, abstract,
main text, reference list, tables and figures, appendices, and acknowledgments. Manuscripts are
expected to be prepared in accordance with the journal’s author guidelines. Each manuscript will
undergo the normal review process, with the final decision to be made by the Guest Editors in
consultation with the journal’s Editor-in-Chief.

The Guest Editors are happy to discuss with interested authors. Please contact them directly via email.