Robert Gifford refers to the psychological barriers that limit climate change mitigation as “dragons of inaction.” For 10 points each:
[10e] One category of dragons of inaction involves these irrecoverable investments that have already been made. A fallacy named for these investments often leads to people refusing to abandon failed ventures.
ANSWER: sunk costs [accept sunk cost fallacy]
[10h] Another dragon is this phenomenon first theorized by Jack Brehm. Reverse psychology often exploits this phenomenon, in which an individual perceives a threat to their behavioral freedom and thus resists persuasion.
ANSWER: reactance
[10m] Gifford also cites this psychologist’s work on social comparison theory. With two collaborators, this psychologist infiltrated a UFO religion called the Seekers.
ANSWER: Leon Festinger (Henry Riecken and Stanley Schachter collaborated with him on When Prophecy Fails.)
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