Thinking about an ecological utopia increases motivation to change current society

Abstract

In the news media, fiction, and conversations we are often presented with utopic and dystopic versions of the future related to the environment or technology. In this research, we ask how thinking about ecological or technological utopias—or dystopias—as potential future societies alters one’s motivation to change and justification of one’s current society. In Study 1a (n = 121) and 1b (n = 174), thinking about ecological, but not technological, utopias enhanced motivation to change one’s current society, whereas neither utopia changed justification with one’ current society. Study 2 (n = 196), which included ecological and technological dystopia conditions, showed that ecological and technological utopias and dystopias increased motivation to change one’s current society, whereas none of them changed justification with one’s current society. Moreover, thinking about an ecological utopia showed added effects: compared to the technological utopia, it was more positively evaluated, functioned more to bring about change, and further increased motivation to change one’s current society. All together these results show that thinking about possible future societies, especially ecological utopias, is a powerful way to motivate change in our present time.