iStock/yangphotoClimate change is a major threat to ecosystems and people around the world.1 Risk analysts, including U.S. Department of Defense, rank climate as one most serious ...

Climate change is an urgent global issue, with demands for personal, collective, and governmental action. Although a large body of research has investigated the influence communication on public engagement climate change, few studies have role interpersonal discussion. Here we use panel data 2 time points to investigate conversations in shaping beliefs feelings about warming. We find evidence reciprocal causality. That is, discussing warming friends family leads people learn influential...

Abstract Despite Greta Thunberg's popularity, research has yet to investigate her impact on the public's willingness take collective action climate change. Using cross‐sectional data from a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults ( N = 1,303), we “Greta Thunberg Effect, ” or whether exposure predicts efficacy and intentions engage in action. We find that those who are more familiar with have higher taking actions reduce global warming stronger beliefs mediate this relationship. This...

This report is based on findings from a nationally representative survey – Climate Change in the American Mind conducted by Yale Program Communication (climatecommunication.yale.edu) and George Mason University Center for (climatechangecommunication.org). Interview dates: March 29-April 8, 2019. Interviews: 1,291 adults U.S. (18+).

At COP21 in Paris, governments reiterated the importance of 'non-Party' contributions, placing big bets that efforts cities, regions, investors, companies, and other social groups will help keep average global warming limited to well under 2°C. However, there is little systematic knowledge concerning performance non-state subnational efforts. We established a database 52 climate actions launched at 2014 UN Climate Summit New York assess output – is, production relevant outputs understand...

This report is based on findings from a nationally representative survey – Climate Change in the American Mind conducted by Yale Program Communication (climatecommunication.yale.edu) and George Mason University Center for (climatechangecommunication.org). Interview dates: April 7 17, 2020. Interviews: 1,029 Adults (18+). Average margin of error +/- 3 percentage points at 95% confidence level.

Abstract Reducing global warming will require enacting strong climate policies, which is unlikely to happen without public support. While prior research has identified varied predictors of change policy support, it unclear are strongest for the American electorate as a whole, and Democrats Republicans. In nationally representative sample registered voters ( n = 2063), we use relative weight analysis identify We find that, among in USA, five most important support are: worry about warming;...

Research on the gateway belief model indicates that communicating scientific consensus global warming acts as a “gateway” to other beliefs and support for action. We test whether video conveying is more effective than text transcript with same information. Results show was significantly in increasing people’s perception of agreement. Structural equation models indicate indirect increases happening human-caused, worry about warming, which turn predict increased issue priority.

It is well established that conservatives in the United States are substantially less likely than liberals to accept climate change happening and human caused supportive of policies limit change. However, it ideological differences beliefs, attitudes, policy preferences smaller when people have close friends family members who care about Here, we use nine nationally representative survey samples (total N = 16,168) evaluate this claim test if perceived social consensus predicts a difference...

Sharing personal stories of how climate change is already harming people a promising communication strategy to engage diverse and even skeptical audiences. Using two experiments, we test the effects radio story on beliefs risk perceptions political moderates conservatives. The story, which aired hundreds stations across U.S., North Carolina sportsman's account has affected places he loves. Both experiments found positive global warming perceptions. Additionally, Study 2 these were mediated...

This report is based on findings from a nationally representative survey – Climate Change in the American Mind conducted by Yale Program Communication (climatecommunication.yale.edu) and George Mason University Center for (climatechangecommunication.org). Interview dates: November 8 20, 2019. Interviews: 1,303 adults U.S. (18+). Average margin of error +/- 3 percentage points at 95% confidence level. The research was funded 11th Hour Project, Energy Foundation, MacArthur Foundation. A...

On April 3 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that all Americans wear face masks to prevent spread of COVID-19. The announcement came during fielding a large, nationally-representative survey (N = 3,933) Americans' COVID-19-related knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, providing an opportunity measure impact CDC's recommendation on public reported mask wearing buying behavior. study found significant increases in (+12 percentage points) (+7 points). These...

Pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) are crucial to reducing environmental degradations, and much research has focused on two key psychological antecedents: pro-environmental attitudes efficacy beliefs. Yet, the evidence of their direct interactive relationships mixed. Further, few studies investigate how these vary across different countries contexts. Using data from a large international survey ( N = 11,000) in 11 countries, we examine among attitudes, efficacy, PEBs. Overall strong...

In this working paper, we used a large national survey of American adults (N = 3,933) to estimate the effect perceived social norms among friends and family (i.e., how often perform preventive behaviors, whether they think it is important for respondent do so) on people’s own COVID-19 behaviors. We found that within these close relationships are strongly associated with adoption behavior--in some cases more than doubling odds an individual will engage in given behavior.

Literary works of fiction about climate change are becoming more common and popular among critics readers. While much research has indicated the persuasive effectiveness narrative storytelling in general, empirical not yet tested effects reading fiction. This paper reports results from first experimental study to test immediate delayed impacts on readers' beliefs attitudes change. We found that had small but significant positive several important global warming – observed immediately after...

Prior research has found that systems thinking, the tendency to perceive phenomena as interconnected and dynamic, is associated with a general proenvironmental orientation. However, less known about its relationship public understanding of climate change and/or whether this varies across people different political views. Because highly politicized issue, it also important understand extent which thinking can foster acceptance science lines. Using an online sample US adults (

Using two nationally representative surveys (total N = 2,544) and experiments 1,620), we investigate a social identity approach to engaging Christians in the issue of climate change. Results show Christian Americans say “protecting God’s creation” is top reason for wanting reduce global warming. An exploratory experiment preregistered replication tested “stewardship frame” message with found significant increases pro-environmental change beliefs, which were explained by viewing environmental...