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Correlates of climate change skepticism
1Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Frontiers in Psychology
|May 9, 2024
Summary
This study developed a tool to measure climate change skepticism, finding political ideology and dark-side personality traits are key predictors. Understanding these factors aids in tailoring climate change communication for better sustainability promotion.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Environmental Science
- Sociology
Background:
- Limited research systematically measures climate change skepticism.
- Existing studies often focus on alarmist beliefs rather than skeptical viewpoints.
- Understanding skepticism is crucial for effective climate change communication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a comprehensive tool for measuring climate change skepticism.
- To identify individual difference variables associated with climate change skepticism.
- To explore the dimensional structure of climate change skepticism.
Main Methods:
- A 22-item questionnaire on climate change skepticism was administered to 502 European adults.
- Measures included ambiguity tolerance, belief in a just world (BJW), dark-side personality traits, and self-esteem.
- Principal components analysis was used to determine the structure of climate change skepticism.
Main Results:
- Principal components analysis revealed a four-dimensional structure of climate change skepticism.
- Political ideology emerged as the most consistent and significant predictor across all factors.
- Dark-side personality traits also demonstrated a significant association with climate change skepticism.
Conclusions:
- A valid measure for climate change skepticism was developed.
- Political ideology and dark-side traits are important correlates of climate change skepticism.
- Further research should validate the measure and explore tailored communication strategies for diverse audiences to promote sustainability.
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