PsyCAP: Applied Research Team in Psychology - Human and Social Sciences

Transitions, whatever their nature, are an inescapable social fact (Mauss, 1924) that cannot be overlooked due to their profound and ongoing impact on our societies. Indeed, these transitions (e.g., ecological, energy, digital, etc.) permeate and transform societies and organizations through new systems (e.g., autonomous vehicles), new imperatives (e.g., eco-friendly practices, energy conservation, prevention of emerging diseases), which often clash with individual and collective activities (Brangier et al., 2010). This is evident in the case of digital technology, which is revolutionizing every aspect of society (Schwab, 2017), particularly activities within organizations (Chahir et al., 2022). Yet, while digital tools are often considered highly innovative for facilitating organizational activities, their implementation frequently faces significant challenges (Garreau, 2019). For example, Jørgensen and colleagues (2014) show that only two out of ten managers consider their innovations successful within their organizations. Similarly, environmental projects positioned as solutions to climate change often face intense opposition, as demonstrated by the Atlas of Environmental Justice, launched by the European research project EJOLT (Environmental Justice Organisations, Liabilities and Trade, 2024). In 2024, the atlas recorded 4,181 cases of social conflicts related to environmental projects worldwide.

Taken as a whole, these transitions fall within the broader framework of social transition, where populations increasingly demand participation in decisions that affect them (CNDP, 2014). This is because such transitions require new adjustments, responding to calls from local authorities, deploying and/or implementing a project, technology, or service in a given territory. These spaces where stakeholders meet become fertile grounds for controversy, as they allow diverse and sometimes completely opposing positions to be expressed (e.g., attitudes toward a given technology). While controversies in these spaces can highlight the societal issues underlying projects (Limoges, 1993), they also put interpersonal relationships under significant strain. The reasons for this are manifold: the public has lost trust in decision-making spaces (Jacquet, 2017; Papadopoulos, 2013) and is often poorly informed about new technologies (e.g., Ha-Duong et al., 2009); decision-makers struggle to consider social dynamics in informing and raising awareness among stakeholders (e.g., Nadarajah, 2022, 2024); and project promoters tend to distance themselves from controversies, perceiving discussion spaces as particularly risky (Batellier, 2015; Pham & Torre, 2012).

In this context of urgency, the multiplication and combination of impacts—particularly those of climate change on ecosystems—make it increasingly difficult to predict the future of human societies (Robbins Schug et al., 2023). Consequently, current infrastructure, investments, and human activities must account for upcoming changes and adapt accordingly (ADEME, 2019).