Personality traits have been associated with adolescents' pro-environmental behaviour, but findings remain inconsistent. This variability suggests that the strength to which personality traits are associated to proenvironmental behaviour may be influenced by other psychological variables. This study explored whether emotional intelligence played a moderator role in the relationship between personality traits and proenvironmental behaviour in a sample of 1855 Portuguese adolescents (Mage = 14.52 years, SDage = 1.76 years, 49,2% female). Results showed that all personality traits, except neuroticism, were significantly positively associated with pro-environmental behaviour. Furthermore, emotional intelligence, defined as an individual's ability to perceive, understand, and manage emotions both in themselves and others, moderated the relationship between extraversion and agreeableness and pro-environmental behaviour, such that higher emotional intelligence strengthened the positive association between these traits and adolescents' pro-environmental behaviour. These findings underscore the role of personality in shaping adolescents' pro-environmental tendencies and suggest that emotional intelligence may act as a useful psychological resource to enhance pro-environmental behaviour, particularly among more extraverted and agreeable youth.

Forests are increasingly recognized not only for their ecological and productive roles but also for their social, cultural, and psychological importance. In Italy, the last national-scale assessment of public perceptions of forests was conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving open questions about how citizens currently perceive forests, their functions, and their value for everyday life. Building on previous national evidence, this study provides an updated overview of Italians' perceptions of forests in a post-pandemic context. A national online survey was conducted between May and July 2025 with a large, geographically diverse sample of Italian adults (n = 2,193), covering all 20 regions and five macro-areas. The questionnaire assessed perceptions of forest cover, the importance attributed to environmental issues and forest ecosystem services, perceived threats to forests, emotional responses to familiar and unfamiliar forest environments, post-pandemic need for nature, forest visitation frequency, and information needs and sources. Results indicate that Italians attribute high importance to forests for biodiversity conservation, climate regulation, hydrogeological protection, and human well-being, with non-material and regulatory services consistently rated higher than strictly productive ones. Participants showed a marked tendency to overestimate forest cover, replicating patterns observed in pre-pandemic studies. Forests were widely perceived as threatened by multiple pressures, particularly wildfires, climate change, illegal activities, and drought, with both nationally shared concerns and region-specific differences. Emotional responses to forest environments were predominantly positive, with high levels of interest, enthusiasm, and inspiration and very low levels of fear, even in unfamiliar forests. The post-pandemic need for nature emerged as a salient dimension across the country, with only modest geographical variation. Information demand was substantial, especially regarding biodiversity, health-related benefits, and forest management, and respondents primarily relied on institutional and science-based sources. Overall, the findings highlight a strong and multifaceted public engagement with forests in Italy, combining cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions. By updating pre-pandemic evidence and incorporating emotional and experiential aspects at a national scale, this study provides insights relevant for forest communication, governance, and the integration of social values into sustainable forest management strategies.

This paper aims to develop a conceptual and theoretical perspective on sustainable lifestyle change according to a multidisciplinary approach. In particular, we discuss the interplay between three orders of factors that, according to the literature and to our conceptual model, are relevant in shaping sustainable lifestyles and lifestyle change in people daily life contexts, such as their living neighbourhoods. The three orders of factors are the following: (1) Individual level factors (as typically present and discussed in the environmental psychology literature; e.g., attitudes, values, beliefs, intentions, emotions, connection to nature, etc.); (2) Collective level factors (as typically present and discussed in the social psychology and sociology literature; e.g., social capital, social norms, social and place identity, sense of community, place attachment, energy memories & energy cultures); (3) Contextual factors (as typically present and discussed in the environmental science and economic literature; e.g., regulations, technology, infrastructures, economic resources, etc.). For each of these three levels, we will present and discuss some classical and recent literature findings, and we will provide a summary of the current state of the art knowledge about sustainable lifestyle adoption in neighbourhoods’ contexts.

This paper builds on a model of individual and collective climate action on the neighbourhood level recently presented by Kl & ouml;ckner et al. [1]. In this model, types of local climate action were empirically categorized (diet, travel, protest, other climate actions), and it was found that both individual and collective intentions contribute to self-reported climate actions in these categories and that collective intentions were weaker than individual intentions. Based on these findings, the current paper proposes a theoretically derived intervention strategy based on neighbourhood events. These events comprised hands-on work on contextualized climate action, experiential learning, and creative and disruptive communication techniques, aiming at strengthening the collective motivation to act against climate change in the neighbourhoods. The interventions were implemented in nine European neighbourhoods, and we were able to collect some first data on their potential in a survey in seven of the nine neighbourhoods. In total, 46 respondents answered the survey both before and after the interventions, 13 of whom participated in at least one of the intervention events. With this explorative small sample, we find indications that the interventions might be successful in increasing the perceived social norms in the neighbourhoods, the identification with the neighbourhoods, and decreasing perceived barriers to action. Smaller positive effects seem to occur for collective intentions and collective efficacy, and behaviour change. The individual factors appear to be mostly unaffected by the interventions, with potentially some improvement in individual efficacy. Overall, this pilot study points to the potential of neighbourhood-based climate interventions as a new methodology for activating a path to climate action underutilized in current campaigns. The preliminary findings we present here help generate studies to test them under more robust conditions and present a methodology for innovative intervention design.

Keeping workers safe and healthy is good not only for them but also for business. Strong occupational safety and health (OSH) programs can boost a company's competitiveness and productivity. However, OSH also plays a big role in environmental and social well-being. This connection between being green and keeping workers safe is especially tricky when it comes to green jobs. The number of workers in the fast-growing waste management sector is skyrocketing, so new safety considerations must be addressed. Waste treatment workers are exposed to a combination of risks (chemical, biological, biomechanical, and psychosocial), and very little is known about the possible interactions that may increase or decrease the overall workers' health. Innovative and highly engaging methods are needed to effectively train employees on the risks. In this paper, we present the preliminary results of the SOHS Project that aims to perform a multidimensional occupational risk assessment, define the corresponding risk scenarios, and design and develop a prototype of a gamified tool to offer an engaging training experience. The project applies Human Work Interaction Design (HWID) principles and techniques to ensure that the design aligns with the workers' context, supporting effective interaction between employees and the training system. By embedding HWID principles, the training system balances technology-driven risk insights with the workers' expertise and experience, fostering meaningful engagement while enhancing safety outcomes.

Transboundary crises often create a problem of fit, where existing institutional structures are inadequate to meet the demands of the situation, requiring strategic adaptations. This study examines how Italy, Sweden, and Norway, in different ways, addressed national-level leadership needs of decision-making, coordination, and information flow during the early onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, not only based on how the crisis unfolded but also on important framing conditions. Italy's centralised approach leveraged expert advice to legitimise decisions, Sweden's expert-led strategy minimised political exposure, and Norway's hybrid decision-making model integrated political and expert roles to balance accountability. These approaches illustrate how pre-existing institutional arrangements took part in shaping initial responses, while strategies for managing political risk and framing of responsibility affected the adaptation of leadership practices to better align with situational demands, which appeared central to developing adaptive capacity. This comparative study highlights the significance of structural, political, and framing factors in shaping national responses, providing valuable insights for future research and practice.

This article brings together psychologists from different parts of the world to reflect on Sustainable Development Goal 8, which focuses on decent work and economic growth. Rather than treating this goal on its own, the authors look at how it connects to broader ideas, especially the importance of decent and healthy lives. The paper is shaped by insights from career and career development research, particularly as these areas relate to changing ideas about work and well-being. Each contributor offers a distinct perspective, drawing from their experience and expertise. Topics include human dignity, European perspectives on decent work, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, the physical environment, and the working lives of practitioners themselves. While the sections differ in focus, they are closely connected. Together, they offer a thoughtful look at how applied psychology can help people lead more sustainable and meaningful lives and how careers can evolve in response to global challenges.

Behavioural strategies to reduce energy consumption and promote sustainable habits have received increasing attention from economic, psychological, and social sciences. Among these, social norm-based interventions have been proposed as effective tools in psychological research. In this study, we employ a randomized control trial (RCT) to assess the effectiveness of a social norms intervention to encourage energy-saving behaviors among members of an energy cooperative in Italy (N = 442). Anonymised electricity consumption data were collected over one year covering both pre- and post-intervention periods. The intervention lasted eight weeks and involved the dissemination of social norm messages via the cooperative's newsletter. In the RCT, participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups. The first group, the descriptive social norm group, received messages showing the average energy consumption of cooperative members to encourage behavioural change. The second group, the injunctive + descriptive social norm group, received messages combining average consumption data with additional messaging emphasising societal expectations for energy conservation. The third, which served as the control group, received no norm-based messaging and acted as a baseline for comparison. Our results show a significant 13 % decrease in electricity consumption among participants exposed to the descriptive social norm message, compared to those in the injunctive + descriptive norms and control groups. This behavioural change also emerged from the findings of a post-intervention self-report survey, indicating consistency between reported and observed behavior.

The COVID-19 pandemic was marked by widespread uncertainty, and social media emerged as a dominant form of social interaction during lockdowns and physical distancing. These platforms have become powerful tools for assessing and monitoring macroscale trends in public discourse, offering valuable insights into societal dynamics during this time. This study contributes to the understanding of the evolving public sentiment in Italy during various phases of the COVID-19 crisis. Through a netnographic content analysis of a sample of one thousand Italian tweets, we discerned fluctuating trust in the government, oscillating from low to high and back. We posit that these shifts may not solely be attributed to governmental communication styles (e.g., increases or decreases in transparency and clarity) but may also be influenced by the collectively negotiated psychological states of individuals during varying phases of the crisis. These findings may shed light on the complexities of public sentiment during crises and offer important insights for policymakers and public health officials dealing with future critical events.

IntroductionAs life expectancy increases, more attention needs to be paid to their mental and physical condition. Many older patients are also bedridden, which makes some treatments, like in vivo exposure to natural environments, more difficult to be applied. This study aimed to systematically review articles that include interventions combining virtual reality and forest environment, targeting a sample of older people.MethodsBased on PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a literature search in three databases (EBSCO, PubMed, and Scopus), plus gray literature (OpenGrey). We considered only studies that used forest settings via virtual reality and included a sample with age ≥ 65.ResultsAfter the screening and eligibility stages, 7 articles have been included.DiscussionThe study underlines the need to implement research in this direction to standardize effective procedures that can be used to improve the mental and physical health of the older people and caregivers, while also reducing social costs.

On the backdrop of the global pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the ensuing energy crisis demanded fast and comprehensive policy responses in all national contexts. Government measures came under political and societal pressure, with a high degree of contestation for their capacity to deliver. Academic literature is reflecting on the nature of decision-making in highly dynamic and convoluted situations pointing out the importance of making citizen’s voices noticeable at all levels of knowledge gathering and decision-making. New technologies are especially useful at inquiring citizen’s perspectives on the state of the art, policy alternatives, political support, and own behavioral conduct with respect to public decisions or general occurrences. The present article is employing the netnographic methodology to understand public responses to critical energy crisis policies adopted by governments in Norway, Italy, and Romania with respect to households during the most recent energy crisis. With our inductive approach, we aim to understand similarities and differences in public perception and meaningful emerging topics.

While the life expectancy of older people has increased significantly, this is often related to more long-term care in healthcare residences and nursing homes. Staying in these facilities can lead to a reduction in the sense of connection with others and the world around, as well as in vigor, with significant psychophysical repercussions in the long term. Although previous studies have shown that the virtual nature can benefit both, there are no significant studies that have tested its effect in generating these positive outcomes in the older population. Therefore, our study sought to investigate, in a sample of 53 older people in care at a nursing home or healthcare residence, the indirect effect of a 3D built virtual arctic environment (vs. a 3D built virtual urban environment) exposure in virtual reality on vigor through connectedness. Both the virtual scenarios were designed with a first-person view, with no translation around the environment and only in-situ rotation. Results highlighted that exposure to the 3D built virtual arctic environment leads to higher connectedness than the 3D built virtual urban environment, and this, in turn, leads to an increase in vigor. Findings were discussed based on the potential of adopting virtual nature in facilities to improve older people’s sense of connectedness and, in turn, improve their well-being.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about significant changes to the life of most individuals, worldwide. This study explores the cultural factors influencing decision-making during the pandemic, and is part of the CORNER Project, funded by the Research Council of Norway, aimed at understanding institutional response in the early phases of the Covid-19 emergency in Norway, Sweden, and Italy. Semi-structured interviews with key political-administrative leaders in Italy (N = 35) were conducted and content-analyzed, allowing the identification of the underlying cultural dynamics that played a role in these decisions. Thematic analysis was used to assess the influence of cultural factors on the crisis management and early reaction of institutions and citizens to the spread of Covid. In line with previous studies, and as expected, the individualism vs. collectivism dimension can explain differential health outcomes during the outbreak. In this paper we argue that individualism–collectivism cultural values can also play a pivotal role in public compliance with Covid-19 restrictions, and psychological responses during the pandemic.