The central theme of ecological psychology is interdependence or connection that serves to sustain the balance of life on the planet. The lack of interdependent orientation is clearly seen in a report of a comparative risk assessment process used to rank environmental dangers. Combined emphases on self-development and objective indicators give psychology too little capacity to address ecological concerns. Ecological psychology shares with some indigenous Native American cultures a mode of thought in which interconnection and its psychological counterpart, caring, are predominant. The underlying beliefs of ecological psychology provide a new paradigm in which the work of psychologists can be a constructive response to dire environmental challenges.
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