Stress in the Modern World, Part 1 Study Notes
Stress in the Modern World, Part 1
Date
Tuesday, March 3
Administrative Reminders
Homework 6 (questions about Wolfers & Utz reading) is due this Thursday.
Tuesday after spring break (3/17) is the Exam 2 review session. Same format as last time.
Thursday after spring break (3/19) is Exam 2.
Project groups have been assigned in Canvas.
Introduction to Modern Stress
Why is the modern world so stressful?
A significant inquiry into the sources and levels of stress in contemporary society.
Historical Comparison of Stress Levels
Are we more stressed out now than 50 years ago?
25% of Americans experience burnout before age 30.
Gen Z and millennials report peak stress at age 25 on average.
Major Stressors Identified
Financial concerns (30%), politics (26%), and work pressures (25%) rank as the top stressors across all age groups.
83% of Americans believe entering adulthood is more challenging now than a decade ago.
Source: Talker Research, 2025.
Contributors to Stress in the Modern World
Notable sources of stress include:
Climate stress
Social media
Constant connectivity
Political stress
Climate Stress
Factors Contributing to Climate Stress
Extreme weather events influenced by climate change, including:
Extreme heat
Water disasters (e.g., flooding, hurricanes)
Droughts
Wildfires
Winter storms (e.g., extreme snow)
Thunderstorms
Source: Cianconi et al., 2020.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data (1990-2024)
Total GHG emissions per year (GtCO2e):
1990: 57.7 GtCO2e
2000: 51.0 GtCO2e
2010: 53.7 GtCO2e
2020: 37.8 GtCO2e
2024 projection: 41.5 GtCO2e
Breakdown of emissions by type:
Fossil CO2
Methane (CH4)
Nitrous Oxide (N₂O)
F-gases
Land Use, Land Use Change, and Forestry (LULUCF CO2)
Source: United Nations, 2025.
The Psychological Impacts of Climate Change
High, extreme, and variable temperatures worsen various mental health outcomes:
Increased suicide rates linked to climate conditions.
An approximate 1% increase in suicide incidence for each 1 degree Celsius increase above local ambient temperature thresholds.
Higher temperatures correlated with worsened physical and mental health outcomes, especially for individuals with pre-existing mental disorders.
Source: Gao et al., 2019.
Immediate and Long-term Impacts of Climate Change
Immediate direct impacts include:
Physical injuries or loss of life, morbidity.
Damage to infrastructure (e.g., homes).
Damage to nature and agricultural land.
Air pollution.
Indirect impacts include:
Awareness and concern over extreme weather events.
Long-term consequences:
Social issues such as conflict, violence, and forced migration.
Community breakdown and worsened physical health.
Disrupted health and food systems.
Psychological impacts such as PTSD, stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and eco-anxiety.
Source: Lawrance et al., 2022.
Understanding “Eco-anxiety”
Definition: Distress related to climate awareness and the climate crisis; feelings include distress, worry, anxiety, grief, frustration, and hopelessness.
Statistics: In 2021, 70% of Americans expressed at least some worry about global warming, with 35% being very worried.
Source: Climate Change in the American Mind, 2022; Lawrance et al., 2022.
Positive Aspects of Eco-anxiety
Emotional responses may be a rational reaction to climate facts, characterized as healthy and adaptive.
Confronting and processing these feelings can facilitate collective grief and the fostering of 'active hope' to pursue change.
Source: Lawrance et al., 2022.
Eco-anxiety and Adverse Childhood Experiences
The idea that awareness of climate crises and insufficient action constitutes an adverse childhood event for young people, resulting in a collective cultural trauma.
Sources: Sanson et al., 2019; Wu et al., 2020.
Interconnected Factors Affecting Mental Health and Stress
Determinants of mental health outcomes include:
Environmental conditions (temperature, extreme weather, pollution).
Socioeconomic and political conditions (inequality, governance, climate action).
Living and working conditions (access to water, sanitation, health services).
Community networks (levels of collective action and cohesion).
Individual psychological and demographic factors (mental health conditions).
Cultural conditions (media narratives, cultural values).
Source: Lawrance et al., 2022.
The Inequalities of Climate Change
Access to cooling (air conditioning, green spaces) varies significantly across communities, often leaving marginalized groups vulnerable.
People of color, lower-income individuals, and others with housing insecurity face greater exposure due to limited access.
Source: Lawrance et al., 2022.
Migration and Climate Change
Climate-induced displacement due to extreme weather, social changes, and rising sea levels leads to climate migrants or refugees.
In 2021, 23.7 million people were displaced due to non-conflict disasters, predominantly weather-related.
Projections suggest there could be as many as 200 million climate refugees by 2050.
Sources: IDMC, 2022; Myers et al., 2002.
Social Media and Stress
Functions of Social Media in Stress Coping
Social media can serve as:
Stressor: Inducing feelings of anxiety (e.g., pressure to appear attractive, fear of missing out (FoMO), exposure to misinformation).
Resource: Building social capital and buffering stress, particularly for marginalized groups.
Coping Tool: Facilitating social support seeking and improving stress-induced emotions, although research yields mixed results regarding effectiveness.
Sources: Wolfers & Utz, 2022; Spottswood & Hancock, 2016; Utz et al., 2012; Braasch et al., 2019; Escobar-Viera et al., 2020; de Wit et al., 2020; Nabi et al., 2022.
Key Takeaway Messages
The evidence indicates significant psychological effects associated with climate change, including eco-anxiety.
Health risks from climate change are disproportionately experienced across populations, often aligning with existing inequalities.
Climate action at various societal levels could mitigate some negative effects of eco-anxiety.
Social media plays a complex role as both a stressor and a coping resource.