“Everybody Better Care”: A Qualitative Exploration of Environmental Documentaries and Psychological Distance

Severe problems like climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss demand urgent action. Unfortunately, people can tend to view such problems as distant, failing to feel that they are relevant to their lives. Psychological distance may play a role in such perceptions. In order to understand how environmental documentaries, which are often used to educate the public about the environment, may influence perceptions of psychological distance, environmental film festival attendees and organizers were interviewed. Qualitative analysis revealed complex reactions to depictions of environmental issues in films, with perceived severity playing a key role in conceptions of spatial, social, and temporal distance. Additionally, participants expressed complicated reactions to documentaries, often feeling inspired and discouraged in response to the same film. Theoretical implications for researchers and practical implications for environmental communicators are discussed.