Yuko Heath, Ph.D.
(yukonu@uvic.ca or yheath@telus.net)

I have immigrated to Victoria, B.C. from Tokyo, Japan, and immediately fell in love with the beautiful nature here. Since then, my interest has been how we can preserve this wonderful natural environment. I approached it by way of environmental (conservational) psychology. As much as our infrastructure controls our behavior regarding the interaction with nature, our individual mind still has a lot to influence it. And our mind is not as rational as economists would think. I strongly believe that psychological approach should be more emphasized in environmental policy making.

Let us not take for granted this wonderful natural environment, and let us not forget to pay respect to all the living things around us that create a beautiful environment for us.

Representative Publications:

Heath, Y., & Gifford, R. (2006). Free-market ideology and environmental degradation: The case of beliefs in global climate change. Environment & Behavior, 38(1), 48-71.

Heath, Y., & Gifford, R. (2002). Extending the theory of planned behavior: Predicting the use of public transportation. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32(10), 2154-2189.

Heath, Y., & Gifford, R. (2001). Post-occupancy evaluation of therapeutic gardens in a multi-level care facility for the aged. Activities, Adaptation, & Aging, 25(2), 36-47.

Education:

2000-2004		Ph.D. in Psychology University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada Dissertation: "Investigation of Dynamic Value Hierarchy in Environmental Issues: The Interaction between Situational Factors and Individual Value Endorsement Level." Supervisor: Dr. Robert Gifford
1998-2000		MA in Psychology University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
1993-1997		BSc (Honors with distinction) in Psychology University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada