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Informing Public Perceptions About Climate Change: A 'Mental Models' Approach.
Gabrielle Wong-Parodi1, Wändi Bruine de Bruin2,3
1Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA. gwongpar@cmu.edu.
Science and Engineering Ethics
|October 19, 2016
Summary
Effective climate change communication is crucial for public decision-making. The mental models approach helps experts share clear, truthful, and relevant information to improve public understanding of climate science.
Area of Science:
- Environmental science
- Communication studies
- Cognitive science
Background:
- Climate change necessitates informed public decisions on policy and adaptation.
- Effective science communication is ethically imperative for climate experts.
- Current communication often fails to meet standards of truthfulness, brevity, relevance, clarity, and testing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and advocate for the 'mental models' approach in climate change communication.
- To guide climate experts in developing more effective communications for non-expert audiences.
Main Methods:
- The study discusses the principles of the 'mental models' approach.
- It outlines how this approach addresses the maxims of effective communication.
Main Results:
- The 'mental models' approach provides a framework for creating communications that are truthful, brief, relevant, clear, and tested.
- This method aims to improve the accuracy of public judgments and decisions regarding climate change.
Conclusions:
- Adopting the 'mental models' approach can significantly enhance climate change communication effectiveness.
- Better informed public judgments and decisions are achievable through improved expert communication strategies.
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