Effects of information-based interventions and framing interventions on attitudes to climate change and mitigation behavior

The aim of this paper is to provide the review of recently tested interventions that seek to change beliefs, attitudes and behaviors related to global climate change (GCC). The two major approaches, information-based interventions and framing interventions, are presented and discussed. Information-based interventions differ in the underlying models of attitude change, and also in the types of information they use to drive the attitude and behavior change. Interventions focusing on the communication of scientific consensus about the GCC and interventions providing information about the mechanism of GCC are capable to positively influence attitudes to GCC without having polarization effect. Framing interventions emphasize certain dimensions of an issue so that they interact with pre-existing schemata, values, and mental models, which people hold. Gain frames describing the gains that will occur from GCC mitigation are capable to increase concern about GCC as well as positive attitudes towards GCC mitigation.

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The Context Comparison Model: Examining Attitude Change and Plausibility About Global Climate Change

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e551322014-001 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Viviane Seyranian ◽

Kristene Hossepian ◽

Doug Lombardi ◽

Gale M. Sinatra

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Attitude Change ◽

Global Climate Change ◽

Global Climate ◽

Comparison Model

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Human Exceptionalism: A Cognitive Barrier to Understanding and Engaging with Global Climate Change

10.31219/osf.io/36ymb ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Nicole Betz ◽

John Coley

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Global Climate Change ◽

Global Climate ◽

Natural World ◽

Attitudes And Behaviors ◽

Human Exceptionalism ◽

The World ◽

Climate Change Science ◽

And Behaviors

Although global climate change poses a real and looming threat to both societies and the natural world, the general American public is paradoxically disengaged with the issue. Across two studies, we explore the role of an intuitive pattern of thinking—that humans are exceptional to the rest of the world (i.e., human exceptionalist thinking)—on understanding and engagement of global climate change. In both studies, undergraduates thought about global climate change in exceptionalist ways—they correctly think that humans uniquely contribute to climate change, and incorrectly think that humans will uniquely be protected from the effects of global climate change. Such exceptionalist thinking predicted reduced eco-friendly attitudes. Further, people who thought about climate change in exceptionalist ways were less likely to attribute damage from recent hurricanes (i.e., hurricanes Michael and Florence) to global climate change, an attribution that is closely linked to both mitigating attitudes and behaviors. We discuss implications of exceptionalist thinking and potential interventions thereof on climate change science understanding and engagement.

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Mindfulness, Pro-environmental Behavior, and Belief in Climate Change: The Mediating Role of Social Dominance

Environment and Behavior ◽

10.1177/0013916517718887 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 50 (8) ◽

pp. 864-888 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Angelo Panno ◽

Mauro Giacomantonio ◽

Giuseppe Carrus ◽

Fridanna Maricchiolo ◽

Sabine Pirchio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Global Climate Change ◽

Social Dominance ◽

Global Climate ◽

Social Dominance Orientation ◽

Trait Mindfulness ◽

Proenvironmental Behavior ◽

Mediating Role ◽

And Behavior

In recent years, mindfulness has been considered as a potential source of proenvironmental attitudes and behavior. Present research is aimed at consolidating and expanding previous knowledge by proposing that mindfulness is related to both proenvironmental behavior and belief in global climate change through social dominance orientation (SDO). A first study was conducted on undergraduate students ( n = 279) and found, as expected, that trait mindfulness was related to proenvironmental behavior through SDO. A second study using a known groups approach compared practitioners ( n = 44) and nonpractitioners ( n = 53) of Buddhist meditation, which is known to develop a mindful stance. Moreover, in Study 2, a measure of belief in global climate change was adopted as a further outcome. Again, trait mindfulness was related to both proenvironmental outcomes through SDO. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

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