Dr. Christie Manning has a bachelor's degree in Human Factors Engineering from Tufts University and a Ph.D. in Cognitive and Biological Psychology from the University of Minnesota. She is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Psychology at Macalester College.

Dr. Manning's research investigates the cognitive and other psychological factors that influence environmentally-responsible behavior. Her most recent studies examine how people's perception of psychological distance from an environmental issue, such as global climate change, impacts their response to that issue. She has been awarded several research grants, most recently a David Sielaff Fund award and a Mellon Three Rivers award through the Macalester College Student-Faculty Summer Research Collaboration Program. She has also received two grants from the foundation Northern Environmental Support Trust for conservation psychology studies conducted with colleagues at the University of St. Thomas. In 2007, Dr. Manning was awarded an Environmental Assistance grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. For that grant, she developed a recently published handbook, "The Psychology of Sustainable Behavior," that describes psychological research on sustainability in practical, useful terms.

Primary Interests:

Helping, Prosocial Behavior
Judgment and Decision Making
Motivation, Goal Setting
Persuasion, Social Influence
Social Cognition

Helping, Prosocial Behavior
Judgment and Decision Making
Motivation, Goal Setting

Persuasion, Social Influence
Social Cognition

Journal Articles:

Amel, E. L., Manning, C. M., & Scott, B. A. (2009). Mindfulness and sustainable behavior: Pondering attention and awareness as means for increasing green behavior. Ecopsychology, 1(1), 14-25.
Kiesling, F., & Manning, C. M. (2010). How green is your thumb? Environmental gardening identity and ecological gardening practices. Journal of Environmental Psychology: Special Issue on Identity, Place and Environmental Behavior, 30(3), 315-327.
Manning, C. M., Amel, E. L., Scott, B. A., & Forsman, J. W. (2009). Framing climate change solutions: The importance of getting the numbers right. International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 1(4), 326-339.
Savanick, S., Strong, R., & Manning, C. M. (2008). Explicitly linking pedagogy and facilities to campus sustainability: Lessons from Carleton College and the University of Minnesota. Environmental Education Research, 14(6), 667.
Wells, C., Savanick, S., & Manning, C. M. (2009). Using a class to conduct a carbon inventory: A case study with practical results at Macalester College. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 10(3), 228-238.

Other Publications:

Amel, E. L., & Manning, C. M. (2008). The mechanics of human behavior. In W. Jedlicka (Ed.), Packaging sustainability: Tools, systems and strategies for innovative package design. New York: Wiley.
Manning, C. M. (2010). The psychology of sustainable behavior: Tips for empowering people to take environmentally positive action (Research Report p-ee1-01). St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Courses Taught:

Environmental Classics
Psychology of Sustainable Behavior

Environmental Classics

Psychology of Sustainable Behavior

Christie Manning
Environmental Studies Department
Macalester College
1600 Grand Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55105
United States

Phone: (651) 696-6164