The Big Problem Paradox: How Urgency Disappears with Big Problem

Climate change, economic inequality, mass animal suffering, and the decline of biodiversity are some of the most pressing issues of our time. Yet, many people don’t feel a strong day-to-day urgency to tackle them, despite their massive scale and the abundance of information about their consequences. How can it be that these problems are so vast and well-known, yet individuals often feel hesitant to take action? New research by Eskreis-Winkler et al. (2024) provides an explanation through their concept of the Big Problem Paradox.

What Is the Big Problem Paradox?

The Big Problem Paradox describes the phenomenon where people perceive the severity of major societal problems as lower the more they become aware of the prevalence of those problems. In other words: the more widespread a problem is, the less urgent it seems. This applies to a range of issues, such as medication nonadherence, drunk driving, and even water pollution.

At the core of the paradox lies a fundamental psychological mechanism: people’s optimistic worldview. According to the researchers, people tend to believe that the world is fundamentally a good place where big problems are being addressed. When a problem is highly prevalent, they interpret this as a sign that it is likely less severe or already manageable. This leads to a decrease in the perceived severity of a problem, even when the facts indicate it requires urgent attention.

Research on the Big Problem Paradox

The research by Eskreis-Winkler et al. included 15 studies with a total of 2,636 participants. Here are some key experiments that illustrate the paradox:

• Study 1: Perceptions of Local Problems: Participants in Chicago assessed the severity of local issues, such as food safety and building safety, before and after receiving information about the prevalence of these problems. Result: After learning how widespread these issues were, participants considered them less severe. For example, they downplayed the fact that thousands of restaurants in Chicago failed to meet hygiene standards.
• Study 2: Major Societal Issues: In a similar study, participants rated the severity of problems such as poverty, drunk driving, and school dropout rates. After being told how many people worldwide were affected by these issues, their perceived severity of the problems decreased. Result: The knowledge that 4.2 million people drive drunk monthly, for instance, led participants to view the risk of fatal accidents as lower.
• Study 3: Optimism as a Psychological Mechanism: Researchers examined whether optimistic beliefs about the world play a key role in the paradox. Participants who learned that microplastics were present in nearly all American households assumed that this pollution was likely already being addressed. Result: The belief that large-scale problems are being adequately handled influenced the perception of their severity.
• Study 4: Contextual Moderation: In contexts where the worldview is less optimistic, such as in low-income neighborhoods, the paradox was less pronounced. Result: In affluent neighborhoods, information about the prevalence of water pollution more strongly reduced the perceived severity compared to poorer neighborhoods.

Summary of Findings

The researchers identified the following factors:

1. Prevalence Reduces Perceived Severity: The more widespread a problem is, the less urgent it seems.
2. Optimism as a Driver: People believe the world is a safe place where serious problems are being solved.
3. Reduced Helping Behavior: This underestimation of severity leads to a lower likelihood of taking action or offering help.

Implications for Communication and Motivation

The Big Problem Paradox has important implications for how we communicate about societal issues:

1. Campaigns and Framing: Emphasizing the scale of a problem can unintentionally reduce urgency. Instead, campaigns can focus on concrete and local impacts, such as how individual actions directly contribute to solutions.
2. Promoting Helping Behavior: Highlighting what individuals can personally do, like saving energy or consuming responsibly, can boost motivation.
3. Focus on Emotional Engagement: Using personal stories and specific examples can bridge the cognitive distance to the problem.

Returning to the Big Problems

Let’s return to the issues mentioned at the beginning of this article, such as climate change, economic inequality, and animal suffering. These challenges are overwhelmingly large, which evokes feelings of helplessness in many people. The research by Eskreis-Winkler et al. shows that this effect is partly driven by our optimistic worldview and the tendency to perceive big problems as less urgent.

To avoid this pitfall, we must focus our communication and actions on concrete, achievable steps that show people their contributions truly make a difference. By emphasizing personal responsibility and collective power, we can overcome the paralyzing effect of the Big Problem Paradox and work together toward solutions for these urgent challenges.