Article
Jomaylene Mae Cuevas
Instituto Franklin, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Abstract
This study shows how the cultural power of storytelling about the future (future-telling) influences Futures Consciousness. In the undergraduate courses “Writing as Critical Inquiry” and “Global Environment Policy,” reading fictional energy utopias are required for study-abroad students at two American university centers in Madrid (2023 Spring term). They analyzed future narratives about climate change and energy consumption.
A pretest-posttest study was conducted to measure Futures Consciousness before and after exposure to the course readings. The Futures Consciousness scale of the Finland Futures Research Center is used as a tool to measure the students’ Time Perspective, Agency Beliefs, Openness to Alternatives, Systems Perception, and Concern for Others.
The respondents mostly improved on Time Perspective and Systems Perception, so there is an apparent significant effect on students’ long-term thinking and holistic understanding. Nonetheless, the slight improvement on the overall Futures Consciousness score implies that fostering imagination through energy utopias in literature must also be balanced with robust fact-driven Energy Literacy lessons to achieve actual collective action for a fair, fast, and just energy transition.
Keywords
Futures Consciousness, Futures Literacy, Energy Literacy, energy utopias, energy transition
Introduction
In a report published by the Education Commission and UNICEF about the current learning crisis, recent data shows that less than half of the youth around the world are on track to attain the full range of skills needed to thrive in school, work, and life (Alejo & Yao, 2022). Thus, the World Economic Forum currently focuses on abilities and skills, and attitudes and values more than knowledge and information in the Education 4.0 taxonomy for the future of learning (Elhussein, et al., 2023).
Futures literacy develops aptitudes for innovative pedagogies which are problem-based, project-based, collaborative, and lifelong (Miller, 2015). It develops a holistic learning experience that is both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary (Lombardo, 2010). Students can realize an integrative vision of reality when encouraged to envision future scenarios. In this context, rote learning is not enough: the theoretical is automatically connected to the practical, because all lessons are analyzed in the context of real life. Most importantly, deep and active learning is present as students engage in an intellectual synthesis that connects their understanding of the world from the personal to the global. When this is achieved, it is possible to create a good future that Lombardo (2017) defines as “flourishing in the flow of evolution, through the heightening of future consciousness, which is achieved by developing a core set of character virtues, most notably and centrally wisdom.” This tendency to have a wider perspective of time is argued to be essential in the ongoing development of human civilization. “Since the future will be evolutionary, creative, surprising, and perpetually disruptive, we require heightened future consciousness and wisdom to flourish within this transformative reality” (Lombardo, 2011, p. 41).
Ahvenharju et al. (2020) operationalized a definition of futures consciousness for empirical futures research: it is the awareness to understand, anticipate, prepare for, and embrace various scenarios of the future. Based on an integrated review of related literature and theories on future consciousness, the Five Dimensions of Futures Consciousness was created: Time perspective (TP), which is the understanding of the concept of passing time and being aware of tomorrow; Agency beliefs (AB), which is a sense of being able to influence how the future will unfold; Systems perception (SP), which is the ability to look at problems and issues from a holistic point of view; Openness to alternatives (OA), which is the capability of embracing and appreciating change and alternative ways, and Concern for others (CO), which is the capacity of being concerned about and committing oneself to bettering not only one’s own future, but the future of others, of society, and even the future of generations (Ahvenharju, Minkkinen, & Lalot, 2018). From these five concepts, the Finland Futures Research Center (FFRC) and the University of Geneva developed a scale that measures an individual’s futures consciousness in a five-point basis.
Generally, this study aims to determine how the cultural power of storytelling about the future (future-telling) influences the futures consciousness of study-abroad undergraduate students from two universities in Madrid according to the aforementioned five dimensions.
In this research, the futures are presented as literature with energy utopias – as optimistic fictional narratives of the future that depict more equitable societies where cleaner energy sources are used for an efficient, fair, fast, and just energy transition.
It is hypothesized that future-telling through energy utopias positively impacts futures consciousness in five dimensions. This study seeks to answer the following questions:
1. How do the respondents understand, anticipate, prepare for, and embrace the future before and after exposure to the course readings?
2. How aware are the respondents on the individual and collective responsibilities about energy consumption and climate change?
2a. What is the respondents’ perception of global warming before being exposed to the course readings?
2b. Have the respondents’ perceptions about preserving the environment changed?
Through exploring utopian fiction, the participants are given an opportunity to have imaginative visions of possible futures to strengthen the collective responsibility on the Sustainable Development Goal about climate action (SDG 13). In the process, there is a hope to also develop energy literacy, which is the awareness and knowledge on individual and collective responsibilities about energy consumption and climate change. Eventually, energy transition may be achieved where there is a clear shift to cleaner energy sources as a solution for global warming and climate change, and as a prevention for ecological collapse.
Methodology
An experimental mode of inquiry has been used. The independent variable is the energy utopias in literature introduced as course readings in the classes “Writing as Critical Inquiry” and “Global Environment Policy.” This study determines its effect on the dependent variable, which is the futures consciousness of the undergraduate study-abroad students from two American university centers in Madrid. The intervening variable, which is each respondent’s awareness on the individual and collective responsibilities about energy consumption and climate change, is also observed since it may influence futures consciousness. Nonetheless, this research does not aim to assess the correctness of the students’ responses on climate change. Their perceptions about global warming are just linked to the five dimensions of futures consciousness to see how fostering imagination and how visioning idealistic futures may lead to real-world engagement on climate change.
Fig. 1: Futures Consciousness and Energy Literacy study
The researcher decided to select study-abroad undergraduate students in the undergraduate courses Writing as Critical Inquiry and Global Environment Policy for the 2023 Spring term because Prof. Daniel Wuebben is also conducting research on energy literacy. The courses thoroughly cover topics that may develop consciousness on real twenty-first century problems. He encouraged his students to critically reflect on their energy choices without celebrating or shaming a particular lifestyle.
Pretests and posttests served as the main tools to gather data before and after exposure to the course readings: Ursula Le Guin’s novel The New Atlantis (1975); two short stories which are T.X. Watson’s “The Boston Hearth Project” (2017), and Helen Simpson’s “In-Flight Entertainment” (2010); and selections from Kim Stanley Robinson’s Ministry for the Future (2021). The online Futures Consciousness Profile Database of the Finland Futures Research Center (FFRC) and the University of Geneva has been used to distribute the 20-item futures consciousness test, and the energy literacy questions.
Table 1: Undergraduate Courses of the Respondents
Writing as Critical Inquiry
Spring 2023 term Prof. Daniel Wuebben |
The course introduces students to advanced reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. It demonstrates the research management skills necessary for academic work and writing beyond academic contexts. Most importantly, it analyzes climate justice through various written perspectives: the ethical, the rhetorical, and the critical. |
Global Environmental Policy
Spring 2023 term Prof. Daniel Wuebben |
The course aims to understand international environmental politics at the local, regional and global scales; to evaluate the strengths and limitations of international law in dealing with environmental issues; to appreciate the role culture plays in environmental policy; and also to apply a basic understanding of human behavior and drivers of environmental degradation to future policy. |
Table 2: Fictional Energy Utopias as Course Readings
All participants do not have prior exposure to the aforementioned literary pieces. Convenience sampling is also used: the basis is the availability and voluntariness to answer the online pretest and posttest questionnaires.
The Senior Research Fellow of Finland Futures Research Center, Sanna Ahvenharju Ph.D., has allowed the researcher to use the Futures Consciousness Profile Database at https://futuresconsciousness.utu.fi/. It allows easy access to pretest and posttest groups while distributing the 20-item futures consciousness test (see Appendix A) and Energy Literacy questions online. For research ethics, an ID Code with four characters has also been used to keep the anonymity of the respondents: the first two letters of one’s first name with one’s birthday date in two digits. In total, there are forty-three (43) ID codes with valid pretest and posttest entries. The posttest resulted in less entries than the pretest due to various factors: students dropping out of out the course, troubles matching ID codes of pretest and posttest, or deciding not to participate.
The dates of implementing the pretest and posttest for the students of the two American university centers in Madrid are different due to course timeliness and class schedules; however, the data have been gathered and analyzed as a single group. All participants took the same pretest and posttest questionnaires and were exposed to the same course readings. The time interval between the two tests is 1 month to accommodate the Spring term schedule.
The online pretest questionnaire was opened to the respondents in the first university on February 2, 2023, and to the respondents in the second university on February 20, 2023. The questionnaire took no more than 15 minutes for the respondents to answer. The first part of the pretest questionnaire contains the 20-item futures consciousness test from FFRC, and the second part (see Appendices B and C) organized by Prof. Wuebben contains common questions for measuring the respondents’ perceptions on global warming and preserving the environment (i.e., Energy Literacy Quiz from the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network, an organization funded by grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and NASA).
On the other hand, the online posttest questionnaire was opened to all subjects from March 23 to 30, 2023. It took approximately 10 minutes to be answered. It also contains the same futures consciousness test, but the second part is just focused on the change in respondents’ perceptions about preserving the environment.
Data Processing and Analysis
The futures consciousness of the respondents is measured on a five-point scale: the highest mark is five (1 = not at all like me; 5 = very much like me). In interpreting the quantitative results, a web graph is done to map the numbers in five dimensions. Most importantly, the participants agreed to publish the results as a group with utmost confidentiality; there are no unnecessary individual comparisons. Higher scores do not necessarily imply a superior futures consciousness. The test has been developed for critical self-reflection: it is specific to each individual participant like a personality test. This study would only show two futures consciousness graphs to represent the pretest and posttest results of the entire group by averaging the scores of each respondent. Research ethics is of paramount importance: the terms and conditions of using the Futures Consciousness Profile Database include the anonymity and voluntariness of the participants.
The futures consciousness results are also disaggregated to see if there is a major increase (1 point above); a minor increase (0.1-0.99); no change (0); minor decrease (0.1 to 0.99); and major decrease (1 point above) for each respondent in the aforementioned five dimensions.
Lastly, for the respondents’ perceptions about global warming and measures for preserving the environment, the percentage distribution and the percentage of difference are acquired to gauge how much of the answers are retained or changed in the pretest and posttest.
Results
The results of this experimental study affirm the hypothesis that future-telling through energy utopias positively affects the undergraduate students’ capacity to understand, anticipate, prepare for, and embrace various scenarios of the future.
I. How do the respondents understand, anticipate, prepare for, and embrace the future before and after exposure to the course readings?
In a five-point scale, there are no pretest scores lower than three in all five dimensions of futures consciousness. This reveals a strong capacity to understand, anticipate, prepare for, and embrace the future.
Fig. 2. Pretest Collective Futures Consciousness Scale
The respondents achieved the highest score in the dimension of concern for others (4.17). This reveals the students’ strong capacity to trade short-term sacrifices for long-term sustainable success in the spirit of interconnectedness. Next in the rank is systems perception (4.05), which may indicate broader perceptions on complex interconnections for more productive collective action on addressing environmental issues. It is followed by time perspective (3.90) that represents the students’ standing on the broader flow of time to consider long-term possibilities and consequences. It can manifest an increased awareness of environmental issues through more in-depth reflection on personal and societal repercussions. The second lowest score is openness to alternatives (3.46), but it is still above average, so the students already have the capability to critically think and envision alternative solutions for current societal issues. Last in the ranking is agency beliefs (3.35) that may indicate more proactive participation, as there is a sense of optimism to influence the future based on one’s self-efficacy.
On the other hand, the posttest futures consciousness results reveal that the respondents have the highest score in the dimension of systems perception (4.29). Next in the rank is concern for others (4.27), followed by time perspective (4.17), and openness to alternatives (3.60). The lowest mark is still agency beliefs (3.53).
Fig. 3. Posttest Collective Futures Consciousness Scale
When the futures consciousness results are disaggregated, more than half of the respondents (60%) have an increase in their scores for time perspective, and systems perception; approximately two in five (44%) have an increase in their scores for agency beliefs; twenty-five respondents (58%) have an increase in openness to alternatives; and twenty-two respondents (51%) in concern for others.
Table 3: Pretest and Posttest: Individual Futures Consciousness
TP | AB | OA | SP | CO | |
Major Increase (+1 above) | 9.30% | 9.30% | 4.65% | 6.98% | 2.33% |
Minor Increase (+0.1 to 0.99) | 51.16% | 34.88% | 53.49% | 53.49% | 48.84% |
No Change | 27.91% | 25.58% | 11.63% | 16.28% | 23.26% |
Minor Decrease (-0.1 to 0.99) | 9.30% | 27.91% | 30.23% | 18.60% | 20.93% |
Major Decrease (-1 above) | 2.33% | 2.33% | 0.00% | 4.65% | 4.65% |
II. How aware are the respondents on the individual and collective responsibilities about energy consumption and climate change?
- What is the respondents’ perception of global warming before being exposed to course readings? (see Appendix D for graphs)
Firstly, the pretest TP score (3.9 out of 5.0) can be connected to the responses on the following energy literacy questions:
- How worried are you about global warming? Prior to exposure on course readings with energy utopias, more than half of the subjects (51%) are already very worried about global warming.
- How often do you discuss global warming with your friends and family? Slightly more than two-fifths (44%) also admit that they occasionally discuss the environmental issue with friends and family. Roughly a third (30%) claim a frequent conversation about global warming.
Secondly, the pretest OA score (3.46 out of 5.0) can be connected to the responses on the following energy literacy questions:
- Which form of energy is currently causing the largest amount of greenhouse gas emissions, globally? Almost half of the respondents (46%) believe that oil is the main contributor of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions.
- What is the biggest use of energy in the typical US home? The majority (46%) also believes that space heating (i.e., heating the house itself) is a major use of energy for American households.
- Which single technology can provide society with a seamless transition to cheap, safe, and carbon-free energy? When asked about a single technology that can provide a seamless transition to cheap, safe, and carbon-free energy, the majority (47%) claim that electric cars, concentrating solar power, nuclear power, clean coal, hydrogen fuel cells, wind turbines, and natural gas are all contributors. However, around one in five (21%) believe that it is not in the list of aforementioned technologies.
Thirdly, the high pretest SP score (4.05 out of 5.0) can be connected to the responses on the following energy literacy questions:
- Schools should teach our children about the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to global warming. Nearly nine out of ten (88%) strongly agree that schools shall teach the youth about the causes, consequences, and solutions of global warming.
- Do you think corporations should do more or less to address global warming? All students agreed that corporations and industries should do more to address global warming.
Fourthly, the pretest AB score (3.35 out of 5.0) can be connected to the responses on the following energy literacy questions:
- True or False? The primary solution for climate change is for individuals to reduce their energy use and carbon footprints. Prior to exposure on course readings with energy utopias, approximately three in five (65%) claim that reducing personal energy use and carbon footprints is not a primary solution for climate change.
- How much do you think global warming will harm you personally? The majority also believe that even if global warming will harm plants, animals, future generations of people, and developing countries, its effect on their personal lives are not massive: about two in five (44%) of the think that global warming will just moderately affect them; slightly more than a quarter (28%) believe that it will immensely affect them; and just over one in four (26%) claim that it will only slightly affect them.
- Do you think citizens, themselves, should do more or less to address global warming? Interestingly, however, more than half (53%) claim that citizens, themselves, must also do more to address global warming; nearly two-fifths (37%), believe that citizens must do “much” more. A small percentage claim that citizens are currently doing the right amount of work to address global warming (7%), and some even believe that citizens must now do less (2%) to solve the issue.
Lastly, the high pretest CO score (4.17 out of 5.0) can be connected to the responses on the following energy literacy questions:
- How much do you think global warming will harm plants and animal species; future generations of people; and people in developing countries? When asked about the effect of global warming on the collective level, over nine out of ten believe that it will immensely harm plants and animal species (93%), future generations of people (91%), and people in developing countries (95%).
- Have the respondents’ perceptions about preserving the environment changed?
In the pretest and posttest, there were seventeen (17) measures on preserving the environment that must be rated as critically important, important, somewhat important, and not very important (see Appendix C). For most of the students, there are significant rating changes in seven (7) statements only:
Table 4. Pretest and Posttest: Preserving the Environment
It is worth noting that in the other ten (10) measures to preserve the environment, there is no change in the rating of importance. For the majority, stopping deforestation; protecting endangered animal species; building energy-efficient buildings; banning the use of polluting substances in industry/agriculture; and replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy are all considered critically important measures.
Also, in the pretest and posttest, increasing consumption of local products; favoring the use of public transport over cars; banning fossil fuel vehicles; and reducing meat consumption are all rated as important measures by the majority. Reducing international trade is only believed to be somewhat important for preserving the environment.
Conclusions
1. The percentage increase in each area of futures consciousness is an indicator of how the course readings – which help narrate the concept of energy utopias – have influenced the futures consciousness of the respondents in a month. As the respondents mostly improved on time perspective (7% increase) and systems perception (6% increase), future-telling through energy utopias has an apparent significant effect on students’ long-term thinking and holistic understanding. The area with the least development is concern for others (2% increase), which proves that fostering imagination for a fair, fast, and just energy transition does not greatly affect students’ commitment to bettering the future of others.
This study does not cover thematic analyses of the course readings; however, it is clear that envisioning futures through positive creativity improves the aspects of futures consciousness about a person’s orientation on the long now, and awareness on the broader interconnections of cultural, societal, and environmental systems. There is only a small improvement in the aspects of futures consciousness that can motivate a person more for proactive action (i.e., openness to alternatives and concern for others).
Table 5. Posttest Percentage Increase in Collective Futures Consciousness
Time Perspective | Agency Beliefs | Openness to Alternatives | Systems Perception | Concern for Others |
6.92% | 5.37% | 4.34% | 5.93% | 2.40% |
2. The ranking of scores in the five dimensions of futures consciousness reveals the areas that students must personally improve on.
Interestingly, there is not much difference on the ranking in the pretest and posttest. The students still need more improvement in the dimensions of openness to alternatives and agency beliefs. Even if the scores are more than average, the individual futures consciousness can increase by developing the capability to embrace and appreciate change in alternative ways, and by fostering the active belief to choose and influence the future. In this manner, there will be a tolerance of uncertainty that can debilitate risk avoidance and disempowerment for climate action.
Table 6. Ranking of Scores: Futures Consciousness
Dimension | Pretest | Posttest | ||
Score | Ranking | Score | Ranking | |
Concern for Others (CO) | 4.17 | 1 | 4.27 | 2 |
Systems Perception (SP) | 4.05 | 2 | 4.29 | 1 |
Time Perspective (TP) | 3.90 | 3 | 4.17 | 3 |
Openness to Alternatives (OA) | 3.46 | 4 | 3.60 | 4 |
Agency Beliefs (AB) | 3.35 | 5 | 3.53 | 5 |
3. The disaggregation of the futures consciousness results is also an indication of the amount of change in each dimension. As most of the students only have a minor increase (0.1 to 0.99 points) for all areas, there must be a constant personal development of futures-thinking skills to sustain or develop the results. It is apparent in Figure 4 that the shape of the collective graphs did not change significantly; it is not enough to say that there will be a positive long-term effect on the students’ futures consciousness. The duration of the study is only during the Spring term; if the students do not take individual voluntary actions based on what they have learned in the undergraduate courses, their scores might be lower in the future.
Fig. 4. Change in Futures Consciousness
4. The main objective of Prof. Daniel’s classes is for the students to critically reflect on their individual relationships with energy for a fair, fast, and just energy transition. As there is no shaming on lifestyle choices, this study did not correct the students’ responses on global warming and climate change. Thus, as the students’ perceptions about global warming are linked to time perspective, agency beliefs, openness to alternatives, systems perception, and concern for others, it is apparent that the correlation between a high futures consciousness and a well-developed energy literacy is not established. Even if there is a slight change on the students’ perception about preserving the environment, it is not clear if climate action can be achieved. It only shows that the awareness and knowledge on individual and collective responsibilities to solve environmental issues can really be influenced by utopian fiction.
Clearly, fostering imagination through literature must also be balanced with robust fact-driven Energy Literacy lessons to achieve actual collective action for a fast, fair, and just energy transition.
5. There are various educational requirements and responsibilities based on the basic conceptualization of futures into three.
Table 7. Three Types of Fiction
THREE TYPES OF FUTURE | EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS | EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES |
Probable
(Futures from Logic) |
Forecasting and systemic modeling requires the development of knowledge | False fiction
The educational responsibility on probable futures is adherence to facts. The concept of truth and falsity lies on scientific data. |
Possible
(Futures from Imagination) |
Visionings without boundaries require creativity and intuition | Free fiction
The educational responsibility on possible futures is free play. Nothing is inconceivable. Everything is possible to accommodate innovative ideas. |
Preferred
(Futures from Values) |
Co-creating futures according to the values of the community require wisdom: a combination of logic and intuition | Protopian fiction
The educational responsibility on preferred futures is ethics. It is not enough to know what is true and possible; the concept of “good” is defined based on mutual goals. |
The scope of measurement in this research is possible futures. Through optimistic fictional narratives of the future with cleaner energy sources, the students can reflect on current environmental issues with imagination as the dominant function. Nonetheless, students can develop the sense of agency to create preferred futures based not just on what is possible (visioning through imagination) but also on what is probable (forecasting through logic). It is only in this manner that values-based communal visions can be co-created.
To effectively incite proactive participation, educating students to be energy literate also entails knowing actual facts. If the research design can accommodate the measurement of probable futures alongside possible futures, their knowledge on environmental issues can also be corrected as right and wrong in the pretest and posttest. Alternatively, the research design can add fact-driven energy literacy lessons to create an experimental group that focuses on objective forecasts vis-à-vis another that focuses on subjective visioning. In this manner, the danger of blind optimism without action can be avoided.
Possible, probable, and preferred futures have different educational requirements and responsibilities. It is only when the logical and the intuitive/creative visions are studied that ethical wise futures can be mutually defined. As Lombardo (2011) also claims, wisdom is the highest expression of future consciousness; it can be achieved when the true (possible future), beautiful (probable future), and good (preferred future) can be synthesized.
Nonetheless, integrating energy literacy in the curricula through developing futures-thinking skills remains to be a challenge. This is a call for multi-stakeholder collaboration among educational institutions, governments, advocacy organizations, businesses, and researchers on the disciplines of Futures Studies, Education, and Environmental Studies. A new approach to education must be implemented where there is actual proactive participation on achieving Sustainable Development Goals. There is a pressing need to establish lifelong learning to envision and anticipate positive preferred futures. Moreover, in a digital-first world that prioritizes hybrid learning, Information and Communication Technology in Education practitioners must maintain a humanistic-and-values-based system of education that is in sync with UNESCO’s visionary declarations of learning to become with the postmodern world (Common Worlds Research Collective, 2020).
Acknowledgements
The author would like to express her gratitude to Daniel Wuebben, Ph.D. for introducing the concept of Energy Literacy, and for allowing his students to participate in the research; to Lourdes Rodríguez of Teach the Future for sharing the Futures Consciousness test; and to Sanna Ahvenharju, Ph.D. of the Finland Futures Research Center for providing access to the Futures Consciousness Profile Database.
References
Ahvenharju, S., Lalot, F., Minkkinen, M., & Quiamzade, A. (2021). Individual futures consciousness: Psychology behind the five-dimensional Futures Consciousness scale. Futures, 128, 102708.
Ahvenharju, Sanna, Matti Minkkinen, Martyn Richards and Fanny Lalot. 2019. The Futures Consciousness Profile Database. https://futuresconsciousness.utu.fi
Ahvenharju, S., Minkkinen, M. & Lalot, F. (2018). The Five Dimensions of Futures Consciousness. Futures, 104, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2018.06.010
Alejo, A., & Yao, H. (2022). Recovering learning: are children and youth on track in skills development? Education Commission and UNICEF. New York, NY.
Common Worlds Research Collective (2020). Learning to Become with the World: Education for Future Survival.
In UNESCO Education Research and Foresight: Working Papers. Retrieved from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000374923.locale=en
Elhussein, A., Leopold, T., Silva A., & Zahidi, S. (2023). Defining Education 4.0: A Taxonomy for the Future of Learning [White paper]. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/whitepapers/defining-education-4-0-a-taxonomy-for-the-future-of-learning/
Energy Literacy Quiz. (2021). Retrieved from https://cleanet.org/clean/literacy/energyquiz.html
Lalot, F., Ahvenharju, S., Minkkinen, M., & Wensing, E. (2020). Aware of the Future? Development and Validation of the Futures Consciousness Scale. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 36(5), 874-888. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000565
Lombardo, T. (2017). Future consciousness: The path to purposeful evolution. John Hunt Publishing.
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Appendices
Appendix A: Futures Consciousness Test from the Finland Futures Research Center
Please indicate to what extent each of the following statements applies to you, personally.
1 = not at all like me; 5 = very much like me
1 2 3 4 5 | I often use new ideas to shape (modify) the way I do things. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I am willing to sacrifice my immediate happiness or well-being in order to achieve something in the future. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I think understanding how a chain of events occurs is crucial. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I hardly ever expect things to go my way. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I am usually able to protect my personal interests. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I think about how things might be in the future. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I am always optimistic about my future. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I think about the consequences before I do something. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I believe I can succeed at most any endeavor to which I set my mind. |
1 2 3 4 5 | When they are in need, I want to help people all over the world. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I am often on the lookout for new ideas. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I show concern and care for peers. |
1 2 3 4 5 | Benevolence is an important life-guiding principle for me. Benevolence refers to helpfulness, honesty, forgiveness, loyalty, and responsibility. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I easily see connections between events and things even when they first seem unrelated. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I find it boring to discuss philosophy. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I think that all the Earth’s systems, from the climate to the economy, are interconnected. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I believe in being loyal to all mankind. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I consider how things might be in the future, and try to influence those things with my day-to-day behavior. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I have had the experience of feeling “at one” with nature. |
1 2 3 4 5 | I often re-evaluate my experiences so that I can learn from them. |
Time Perspective (TP)
- I am willing to sacrifice my immediate happiness or well-being in order to achieve something in the future (Statement 2).
- I think about the consequences before I do something (Statement 8).
- I consider how things might be in the future, and try to influence those things with my day-to-day behavior (Statement 18).
Agency Beliefs (AB)
- I hardly ever expect things to go my way (Statement 4).
- I am usually able to protect my personal interests (Statement 5).
- I think about how things might be in the future (Statement 6).
- I am always optimistic about my future (Statement 7).
- I believe I can succeed at most any endeavor to which I set my mind (Statement 9).
Openness to Alternatives (OA)
- I often use new ideas to shape (modify) the way I do things (Statement 1).
- I am often on the lookout for new ideas (Statement 11).
- I find it boring to discuss philosophy (Statement 15).
- I often re-evaluate my experiences so that I can learn from them (Statement 20).
Systems Perception (SP)
- I think understanding how a chain of events occurs is crucial (Statement 3).
- I easily see connections between events and things even when they first seem unrelated (Statement 14).
- I think that all the Earth’s systems, from the climate to the economy, are interconnected (Statement 16).
- I have had the experience of feeling “at one” with nature (Statement 19).
Concern for Others (CO)
- When they are in need, I want to help people all over the world (Statement 10).
- I show concern and care for peers (Statement 12).
- Benevolence is an important life-guiding principle for me. Benevolence refers to helpfulness, honesty, forgiveness, loyalty, and responsibility (Statement 13).
- I believe in being loyal to all mankind (Statement 17).
Appendix B: Energy Literacy Questions on Global Warming and Climate Change (Pretest)
The next set of questions will help us reflect on our energy consumption and on our awareness of climate change. It should not take longer than 10 minutes to complete. Do not think too much about the “rightness” or “wrongness” of your answers. We are mainly interested in your “honest” perceptions on energy. Thank you.
Which form of energy is currently causing the largest amount of greenhouse gas emissions, globally?
O Natural gas
O Coal
O Oil
O Nuclear
The biggest use of energy in the typical US home is:
O Home electronics
O Water heating (such as for hot showers or laundry)
O Space heating (heating the house itself)
O Lighting
O Cooking
True or false: The primary solution for climate change is for individuals to reduce their energy use and carbon footprints.
O True
O False
Which single technology can provide society with a seamless transition to cheap, safe and carbon-free energy?
O Electric cars
O Concentrating solar power
O Nuclear power
O Clean coal
O Hydrogen fuel cells
O Wind turbines
O Natural gas
O All of the above
O None of the above
Worried about global warming
How worried are you about global warming?
O Very worried
O Somewhat worried
O Not very worried
O Not at all worried
Global warming will harm plants and animals
How much do you think global warming will harm plants and animal species?
O Not at all
O Only a little
O A moderate amount
O A great deal
O Don’t know
Global warming will harm future generations
How much do you think global warming will harm future generations of people?
O Not at all
O Only a little
O A moderate amount
O A great deal
O Don’t know
Global warming will harm people in developing countries
How much do you think global warming will harm people in developing countries?
O Not at all
O Only a little
O A moderate amount
O A great deal
O Don’t know
Global warming will harm me personally
How much do you think global warming will harm you personally?
O Not at all
O Only a little
O A moderate amount
O A great deal
O Don’t know
Schools should teach about global warming
How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement…?
Schools should teach our children about the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to global warming.
O Strongly agree
O Somewhat agree
O Somewhat disagree
O Strongly disagree
Corporations and industry should do more to address global warming
Do you think the following should be doing more or less to address global warming?
O Much more
O More
O Currently doing the right amount
O Less
O Much less
Citizens themselves should do more to address global warming
Do you think the following should be doing more or less to address global warming?
O Much more
O More
O Currently doing the right amount
O Less
O Much less
Discuss global warming
How often do you discuss global warming with your friends and family?
O Often
O Occasionally
O Rarely
O Never
Appendix C: Energy Literacy Questions on Global Warming and Climate Change (Pretest and Posttest)
How would you rate, in terms of importance, the following measures aimed at preserving the environment and the planet?
O Critically Important
O Important
O Somewhat Important
O Not very important
Stopping deforestation
Protecting endangered animal species
Building energy efficient buildings
Banning the use of polluting substances in industry/agriculture
Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy
Increasing consumption of local products
Reducing waste and increasing recycling
Developing natural spaces with limited human activity
Reducing people’s energy consumption
Decreasing the amount of energy we use to heat or cool our homes
Favoring the use of public transport over cars
Radically changing our agricultural model
Reducing travel by planes
Increasing the price of products that do not respect environmental criteria
Banning fossil fuel vehicles
Reducing meat consumption
Reducing international trade
Appendix D: Energy Literacy Results in Graphs
Fig. 5. Which form of energy is currently causing the largest amount of greenhouse gas emissions, globally?
Fig. 6. The biggest use of energy in the typical US home is…
Fig. 7. True or False? The primary solution for climate change is for individuals to reduce their energy use and carbon footprints.
Fig. 8. Which single technology can provide society with a seamless transition to cheap, safe, and carbon-free energy?
Fig. 9. How worried are you about global warming?
Fig. 10. How often do you discuss global warming with your friends and family?
Fig. 11. Effect of Global Warming in the Collective Level
Fig. 12. Education on Global Warming
Fig. 13. Corporations, Industries, and Citizens on Global Warming