GEOSCIENCE EDUCATION AND MOTIVATED REASONING: LEARNING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nan Crystal Arens ◽  
◽  
Emily Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Motivated Reasoning ◽  
Geoscience Education

scholarly journals The impact of elite frames and motivated reasoning on beliefs in a global warming conspiracy: The promise and limits of trust

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 205316801771760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle L Saunders
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Motivated Reasoning ◽  
Anthropogenic Global Warming ◽  
The Face ◽  
Conspiracy Beliefs ◽  
Original Question ◽  
Behavioral Impact ◽  
The Impact

Given the potential attitudinal and behavioral impact of Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) conspiracy beliefs, it is important to understand their causes and moderators. Here, two explanations for the variation in these beliefs are engaged: the first is the choice among elites to frame AGW using the phrase ‘global warming’ (GW) as opposed to ‘climate change’ (CC); the second is partisan motivated reasoning. A theory is then developed about the role of trust in moderating the impact of the two frames on AGW conspiracy beliefs. In the case of CC, which is perceived as less severe than GW (and is therefore less identity threatening among Republicans), it is hypothesized that trust will moderate hoax beliefs among Republicans. In the case of GW, where the implications of existence beliefs have policy consequences that are more unpleasant, motivated reasoning will ‘win out’, and trust will not moderate conspiracy endorsement among Republicans. The results from an original question framing experiment are consistent with the author’s hypotheses. Whilst trust is a welcome commodity to those looking to persuade citizens to support AGW-ameliorating policies, it is not a cure-all, especially in the face of elite partisan cues that edify pre-existing attitudes/identities and arouse a strong desire to engage in motivated reasoning.

scholarly journals Motivated reasoning and climate change

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 27-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Bayes ◽  
James N Druckman
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Motivated Reasoning

Defeating Merchants of Doubt: Subjective certainty and self-affirmation ameliorate attitude polarization via partisan motivated reasoning

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 729-744
Author(s):  
Jiyoung Han ◽  
Yungwook Kim
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Motivated Reasoning ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Online Experiment ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Attitude Polarization ◽  
Algae Blooms

Informed by uncertainty–identity theory, this study tested the polarizing effect of partisan-led politicization of science and ways to combat it. Using a national sample of South Koreans ( N = 840), our online experiment found that when partisan elites, as opposed to scientists (or civic activists), spearheaded politicization, attitude polarization emerged via partisan motivated reasoning. Such polarizing effects of party cues did not persist when subjective certainty and self-affirmation enhanced the level of certainty partisans felt about their surroundings and themselves. These patterns proved consistent across multiple scientific issues, including climate change, genetically modified foods, and algae blooms. The implications of the findings are discussed in light of how to attenuate the polarizing effect of partisan-led politicization through the lens of social identity approaches. Given that this study provides one of the first pieces of evidence on the topic outside the Western context, the advantages of using a South Korean sample are noted.

scholarly journals Selective Exposure to Balanced Content and Evidence Type: The Case of Issue and Non-Issue Publics About Climate Change and Health Care

2016 ◽  
Vol 94 (3) ◽  
pp. 833-861 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Brenes Peralta ◽  
Magdalena Wojcieszak ◽  
Yphtach Lelkes ◽  
Claes de Vreese
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Motivated Reasoning ◽  
Selective Exposure ◽  
Information Selection ◽  
Numerical Evidence ◽  
Issue Publics ◽  
Evidence Type ◽  
Issue Public ◽  
Climate Change And Health

We examine three under-studied factors in selective exposure research. Linking issue publics and motivated reasoning literatures, we argue that selectivity patterns depend on (a) whether an individual is an issue public member; (b) the availability of balanced, pro-, and counter-attitudinal content; and (c) the evidence for a message claim (numerical vs. narrative). Using an online experiment ( N = 560), we track information selection about climate change and health care. Most notably, on both issues, issue publics selected more balanced content with numerical evidence, compared with non-issue publics. We discuss the implications of our findings for the selective exposure literature.

scholarly journals Party Elites or Manufactured Doubt? The Informational Context of Climate Change Polarization

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Merkley ◽  
Dominik Stecula
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Science ◽  
Motivated Reasoning ◽  
Cable News ◽  
News Stories ◽  
Party Elites ◽  
Scant Attention

Americans polarized on climate change despite decreasing uncertainty in climate science. Explanations focused on organized climate skeptics and ideologically driven motivated reasoning are likely insufficient. Instead, Americans may have formed their attitudes by using party elite cues. We conduct analyses on over 8,000 print, broadcast, and cable news stories. We find that coverage became increasingly partisan as climate change rose in salience, but climate skeptics received scant attention. Democratic messages were more voluminous and consistently pro–climate science, while Republican messages have been scarcer and ambiguous until recently. This suggests Republican voters took cues from Democratic elites to reject climate science.

scholarly journals Time to Listen: Children’s Voice in Geoscience Education Research

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emer Emily Neenan ◽  
Joseph Roche ◽  
Laura Bell
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Young People ◽  
Coming Of Age ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Geoscience Education ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Advisory Groups ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Political Choices

Arguably the greatest threat facing society is that posed by irreversible climate change. In tandem with mitigating the effects of climate change, we must now make decisions about issues such as renewable energy, sustainable and safe water supplies, management of renewable and non-renewable natural resources, and management of natural disasters. The current school-age generation will see the worst effects of climate change, including greater frequency and intensity of extreme weather events; shortages of water and other necessary resources; and dangers due to pollution and toxicity in human environments and the human food chain. The next generation is coming of age as difficult socio-political choices are being made at local and national levels to manage resources and mitigate environmental damage. It is therefore important to center the voices of children and young people in research aiming to address the social, political, and educational dimensions of geoscience topics, including climate change and related topics. This paper proposes the use of Children’s Research Advisory Groups (CRAGs) to meaningfully include children and young people as co-researchers in geoscience-related research.

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