Paul Slovic discusses human perception towards mass tragedies and losses at scale.

We as a global society value individual lives greatly and respond strongly to protect a single

Paul Slovic discusses human perception towards mass tragedies and losses at scale.

We as a global society value individual lives greatly and respond strongly to protect a single person in need, but often ignore mass tragedies and fail to take appropriate measures to reduce their losses. As the numbers grow larger, we become insensitive; the data fail to trigger the emotion or feeling necessary to motivate action. In some cases, large numbers convey a false sense of inefficacy, discouraging us from taking valuable actions. Understanding how our minds deceive us in the face of large losses of life is essential to motivating actions needed to reduce the harm from catastrophic consequences such as those associated with poverty, disease, climate disasters, and violence.

Paul Slovic received his B.A. degree from Stanford University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in psychology from the University of Michigan. In 1976, Dr. Slovic founded the research institute Decision Research with Sarah Lichtenstein and Baruch Fischhoff, where he currently serves as President. He has also been a professor of psychology at the University of Oregon since 1986. He and his colleagues worldwide have developed methods to describe risk perceptions and measure their impacts on individuals, industry, and society. His most recent work examines “psychic numbing” and the failure to respond to global threats from genocide and nuclear war. He publishes extensively and serves as a consultant to industry and government.

Dr. Slovic is a past President of the Society for Risk Analysis and in 1991 received its Distinguished Contribution Award. In 1993 he received the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association. In 1995 he received the Outstanding Contribution to Science Award from the Oregon Academy of Science. He has received honorary doctorates from the Stockholm School of Economics (1996) and the University of East Anglia (2005). Dr. Slovic was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2015 and the National Academy of Sciences in 2016.

Moderated by Ozgen Dundar.

3,253 views  Feb 2, 2023

 Climate change is everywhere. Scientists say we have seven years left to turn things around. We are at a crossroads, and the clock is

3,253 views  Feb 2, 2023

 Climate change is everywhere. Scientists say we have seven years left to turn things around. We are at a crossroads, and the clock is winding down. With this reality, there is still hope we can save the planet. The way to make progress at the speed and scale that the climate crisis demands is getting the world’s largest corporate emitters and their investors to act on this growing crisis. The only question now is how fast can they act to prevent the next climate catastrophe and realize the massive opportunities in the shift to a more just and sustainable economy.

Mindy Lubber is the CEO and President of the sustainability nonprofit organization Ceres. She has been at the helm since 2003, and under her leadership, the organization and its powerful networks have grown significantly in size and influence. As a well-known global thought leader, Mindy has inspired coalitions of institutional investors, corporate boards, C-suite executives and capital market leaders to factor sustainability risks and opportunities into decision-making. She regularly speaks to high-level world and national political leaders on clean energy and water policies, and has helped to change the political conversation around tackling climate change to one focused on jobs and the economy. She has received numerous awards for her leadership. In 2020, Lubber received the 'Champions of the Earth' award - the highest environmental honor from the United Nations. In the same year, Lubber made Barron’s Magazine’s inaugural list of the 100 most influential women in U.S. finance and was again a member of the list in 2021.  

Prior to Ceres, Mindy served as a Regional Administrator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under former President Bill Clinton. She also founded Green Century Capital Management and served as the director of the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG). This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more here.