TOWARDS ECOLOGICAL SELF - DEEP ECOLOGY MEETS CONSTRUCTIONIST SELF-THEORY

The concept of 'ecological self', as expounded and applied by members of a social movement called 'deep ecology', is carefully examined and compared with self-concepts constructed by academic psychologists. Con structionist theories and research are explored as an area of particul ar relevance because they (a) exemplify a more ecological, or systems, view of the person, (b) offer an understanding of how an expanded sel f-concept might affect the functioning of an individual and his or her surrounding environment, and (c) suggest how self-constructs might be changed. Self-construct change is discussed with reference to an empi rical evaluation of 'deep ecology' experiential workshops called The C ouncil of All Beings. This paper has a dual aim. First, the 'indigenou s psychology' implicit in deep ecology may provide fertile ground for the development of more academic theories. Second, due to the collabor ative nature of this research, deep ecologists may benefit from the ki nd of conceptualization and analysis provided by academic psychology. Both effects could further a central and shared aim of both environmen tal psychologists and deep ecologists: to encourage environmentally re sponsible attitudes and behaviour. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited