Abstract
Risk literacy skills, as measured by numeracy tests, are robust predictors of objective knowledge and risk understanding. However, for some people with extreme cultural worldviews, research suggests numeracy might slightly increase polarization of subjective perceptions of climate change risks. Here, we report the first integrated tests linking skills, worldviews, objective knowledge, beliefs, and subjective perceptions among diverse adults. Compared to less numerate people, regardless of cultural worldviews, highly numerate people were 5-8 times more likely to have accurate knowledge and beliefs (52% vs. 24% incorrect), and 3 times more likely to have above average risk perceptions. Structural modeling suggests numeracy may typically promote acquisition of accurate climate change knowledge, which then robustly informs beliefs and perceptions (e.g., up to 40 times stronger influence than worldviews). Even among people with extreme worldviews, rather than amplifying polarization, numeracy was associated with more representative understanding of climate change risks (e.g., well-informed and coherent).