Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science

Climate Change Communication and Perception

Works Count: 43531

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Description

This cluster of papers explores the perceptions, communication, and societal responses to climate change, including public attitudes, risk perception, media coverage, policy preferences, psychological impacts, and cultural cognition. It delves into the role of affect, imagery, values, and science literacy in shaping public views on global warming and climate change. The cluster also addresses the politicization of climate change, barriers to engagement, and the impact of personal experience on risk perception.

Keywords

Climate Change; Public Perception; Science Communication; Risk Perception; Media Coverage; Policy Preferences; Global Warming; Psychological Responses; Cultural Cognition; Environmental Attitudes

Why We Disagree about Climate Change

2009-04-30

Mike Hulme

Climate change is not 'a problem' waiting for 'a solution'. It is an environmental, cultural and political phenomenon which is re-shaping the way we think about ourselves, our societies and … Climate change is not 'a problem' waiting for 'a solution'. It is an environmental, cultural and political phenomenon which is re-shaping the way we think about ourselves, our societies and humanity's place on Earth. Drawing upon twenty-five years of professional work as an international climate change scientist and public commentator, Mike Hulme provides a unique insider's account of the emergence of this phenomenon and the diverse ways in which it is understood. He uses different standpoints from science, economics, faith, psychology, communication, sociology, politics and development to explain why we disagree about climate change. In this way he shows that climate change, far from being simply an 'issue' or a 'threat', can act as a catalyst to revise our perception of our place in the world. Why We Disagree About Climate Change is an important contribution to the ongoing debate over climate change and its likely impact on our lives.

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Acting in an uncertain world: an essay on technical democracy

2010-02-01

Yannick Barthe , Michel Callon , Pierre Lascoumes

Controversies over such issues as nuclear waste, genetically modified organisms, asbestos, tobacco, gene therapy, avian flu, and cell phone towers arise almost daily as rapid scientific and technological advances create … Controversies over such issues as nuclear waste, genetically modified organisms, asbestos, tobacco, gene therapy, avian flu, and cell phone towers arise almost daily as rapid scientific and technological advances create uncertainty and bring about unforeseen concerns. The authors of Acting in an Uncertain World argue that political institutions must be expanded and improved to manage these controversies, to transform them into productive conversations, and to bring about technical They show how forumsin which experts, non-experts, ordinary citizens, and politicians come togetherreveal the limits of traditional delegative democracies, in which decisions are made by quasi-professional politicians and techno-scientific information is the domain of specialists in laboratories. The division between professionals and laypeople, the authors claim, is simply outmoded. The authors argue that laboratory research should be complemented by everyday experimentation pursued in the real world, and they describe various modes of cooperation between the two. They explore a range of concrete examples of hybrid forums that have dealt with sociotechnical controversies including nuclear waste disposal in France, industrial waste and birth defects in Japan, a childhood leukemia cluster in Woburn, Massachusetts, and Mad Cow Disease in the United Kingdom. They discuss the implications for political decision making in general, and they describe a dialogic democracy that enriches traditional representative democracy. To invent new procedures for consultation and representation, they suggest, is to contribute to an endless process that is necessary for the ongoing democratization of democracy. Inside Technology series

The Handbook of science and technology studies

2008-06-01

Edward J. Hackett , Olga Amsterdamska , Michael P. Lynch +1 more

Science and Technology Studies is a flourishing interdisciplinary field that examines the creation, development, and consequences of science and technology in their cultural, historical, and social contexts. The Handbook of … Science and Technology Studies is a flourishing interdisciplinary field that examines the creation, development, and consequences of science and technology in their cultural, historical, and social contexts. The Handbook of Science and Technology Studies provides a comprehensive and authoritative overview of the field, reviewing current research and major theoretical and methodological approaches and analyzing emergent issues in a form that is accessible to new and established scholars from a range of disciplines. Handbook chapters review the dominant theoretical perspectives of S&TS, present the current state of research on a spectrum of topics in the field, analyze changes brought about by the commercialization of science, study interactions between science and other institutions, examine the role of experts and the public in scientific and technological decision making, and consider the cultural and social dimensions of new technologies.

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The Psychological Distance of Climate Change

2011-10-12

Alexa Spence , Wouter Poortinga , Nick Pidgeon

Avoiding dangerous climate change is one of the most urgent social risk issues we face today and understanding related public perceptions is critical to engaging the public with the major … Avoiding dangerous climate change is one of the most urgent social risk issues we face today and understanding related public perceptions is critical to engaging the public with the major societal transformations required to combat climate change. Analyses of public perceptions have indicated that climate change is perceived as distant on a number of different dimensions. However, to date there has been no in‐depth exploration of the psychological distance of climate change. This study uses a nationally representative British sample in order to systematically explore and characterize each of the four theorized dimensions of psychological distance—temporal, social, and geographical distance, and uncertainty—in relation to climate change. We examine how each of these different aspects of psychological distance relate to each other as well as to concerns about climate change and sustainable behavior intentions. Results indicate that climate change is both psychologically distant and proximal in relation to different dimensions. Lower psychological distance was generally associated with higher levels of concern, although perceived impacts on developing countries, as an indicator of social distance, was also significantly related to preparedness to act on climate change. Our findings clearly point to the utility of risk communication techniques designed to reduce psychological distance. However, highlighting the potentially very serious distant impacts of climate change may also be useful in promoting sustainable behavior, even among those already concerned.

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Merchants of doubt: how a handful of scientists obscured the truth on issues from tobacco smoke to global warming

2011-07-01

Наоми Орескес , Erik M. Conway

The U.S. scientific community has long led the world in research on such areas as public health, environmental science, and issues affecting quality of life. Our scientists have produced landmark … The U.S. scientific community has long led the world in research on such areas as public health, environmental science, and issues affecting quality of life. Our scientists have produced landmark studies on the dangers of DDT, tobacco smoke, acid rain, and global warming. But at the same time, a small yet potent subset of this community leads the world in vehement denial of these dangers. Merchants of tells the story of how a loose-knit group of high-level scientists and scientific advisers, with deep connections in politics and industry, ran effective campaigns to mislead the public and deny well-established scientific knowledge over four decades. Remarkably, the same individuals surface repeatedly - some of the same figures who have claimed that the science of global warming is not settled denied the truth of studies linking smoking to lung cancer, coal smoke to acid rain, and CFCs to the ozone hole. Doubt is our product, wrote one tobacco executive. These 'experts' supplied it. Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway, historians of science, roll back the rug on this dark corner of the American scientific community, showing how ideology and corporate interests, aided by a too-compliant media, have skewed public understanding of some of the most pressing issues of our era.

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The science studies reader

1999-01-01

Mario Biagioli , Peter Galison

The Reader focuses on the practices of modern and contemporary and technology located in different national and institutional settings, with some attention to non- Western contexts. By mapping some of … The Reader focuses on the practices of modern and contemporary and technology located in different national and institutional settings, with some attention to non- Western contexts. By mapping some of the open questions and points of tension likely to occupy the field for years to come, the essays in the Readercast fresh light on what science means at the end of the twentieth century.

Biological invasions as global environmental change

1996-09-01

Peter M. Vitousek , Carla M. D’Antonio , Lloyd L. Loope +1 more

In recent years the difficult question what constitutes scientific misconduct? has troubled prominent ethicists and scientists and tied many a blue-ribbon panel in knots. In teaching an ethics class for … In recent years the difficult question what constitutes scientific misconduct? has troubled prominent ethicists and scientists and tied many a blue-ribbon panel in knots. In teaching an ethics class for graduate and undergraduate students over the past few years, we have identified what seems to be a necessary starting point for this debate: the clearest possible understanding of how science actually works. Without such an understanding, we believe, one can easily imagine formulating plausible-sounding ethical principles that would be unworkable or even damaging to the scientific enterprise.

Ideology, motivated reasoning, and cognitive reflection

2013-07-01

Dan M. Kahan

Abstract Decision scientists have identified various plausible sources of ideological polarization over climate change, gun violence, national security, and like issues that turn on empirical evidence. This paper describes a … Abstract Decision scientists have identified various plausible sources of ideological polarization over climate change, gun violence, national security, and like issues that turn on empirical evidence. This paper describes a study of three of them: the predominance of heuristic-driven information processing by members of the public; ideologically motivated reasoning; and the cognitive-style correlates of political conservativism. The study generated both observational and experimental data inconsistent with the hypothesis that political conservatism is distinctively associated with either unreflective thinking or motivated reasoning. Conservatives did no better or worse than liberals on the Cognitive Reflection Test (Frederick, 2005), an objective measure of information-processing dispositions associated with cognitive biases. In addition, the study found that ideologically motivated reasoning is not a consequence of over-reliance on heuristic or intuitive forms of reasoning generally. On the contrary, subjects who scored highest in cognitive reflection were the most likely to display ideologically motivated cognition. These findings corroborated an alternative hypothesis, which identifies ideologically motivated cognition as a form of information processing that promotes individuals’ interests in forming and maintaining beliefs that signify their loyalty to important affinity groups. The paper discusses the practical significance of these findings, including the need to develop science communication strategies that shield policy-relevant facts from the influences that turn them into divisive symbols of political identity.

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Agenda-Setting, Priming, and Framing Revisited: Another Look at Cognitive Effects of Political Communication

2000-08-01

Dietram A. Scheufele

Agenda-setting, priming, and framing research generally has been examined under the broad category of cognitive media effects. As a result, studies often either examine all 3 approaches in a single … Agenda-setting, priming, and framing research generally has been examined under the broad category of cognitive media effects. As a result, studies often either examine all 3 approaches in a single study or employ very similar research designs, paying little attention to conceptual differences or differences in the levels of analysis under which each approach is operating. In this article, I revisit agenda-setting, priming, and framing as distinctively different approaches to effects of political communication. Specifically, I argue against more recent attempts to subsume all 3 approaches under the broad concept of agenda-setting and for a more careful explication of the concepts and of their theoretical premises and roots in social psychology and political psychology. Consequently, it calls for a reformulation of relevant research questions and a systematic categorization of research on agenda-setting, priming, and framing. An analytic model is developed that should serve as a guideline for future research in these areas.

Science for the post-normal age

1993-09-01

Silvio Funtowicz , Jerome R. Ravetz

Politicization of Science in the Public Sphere

2012-03-29

Gordon Gauchat

This study explores time trends in public trust in science in the United States from 1974 to 2010. More precisely, I test Mooney’s (2005) claim that conservatives in the United … This study explores time trends in public trust in science in the United States from 1974 to 2010. More precisely, I test Mooney’s (2005) claim that conservatives in the United States have become increasingly distrustful of science. Using data from the 1974 to 2010 General Social Survey, I examine group differences in trust in science and group-specific change in these attitudes over time. Results show that group differences in trust in science are largely stable over the period, except for respondents identifying as conservative. Conservatives began the period with the highest trust in science, relative to liberals and moderates, and ended the period with the lowest. The patterns for science are also unique when compared to public trust in other secular institutions. Results show enduring differences in trust in science by social class, ethnicity, gender, church attendance, and region. I explore the implications of these findings, specifically, the potential for political divisions to emerge over the cultural authority of science and the social role of experts in the formation of public policy.

Communicating Climate Change: Why Frames Matter for Public Engagement

2009-03-01

Matthew C. Nisbet

(2009). Communicating Climate Change: Why Frames Matter for Public Engagement. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development: Vol. 51, No. 2, pp. 12-23. (2009). Communicating Climate Change: Why Frames Matter for Public Engagement. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development: Vol. 51, No. 2, pp. 12-23.

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Misunderstanding Science?

1996-03-29

Alan Irwin , Brian Wynne

Misunderstanding Science? offers a challenging new perspective on the public understanding of science. In so doing, it also challenges existing ideas of the nature of science and its relationships with … Misunderstanding Science? offers a challenging new perspective on the public understanding of science. In so doing, it also challenges existing ideas of the nature of science and its relationships with society. Its analysis and case presentation are highly relevant to current concerns over the uptake, authority, and effectiveness of science as expressed, for example, in areas such as education, medical/health practice, risk and the environment, technological innovation. Based on several in-depth case-studies, and informed theoretically by the sociology of scientific knowledge, the book shows how the public understanding of science questions raises issues of the epistemic commitments and institutional structures which constitute modern science. It suggests that many of the inadequacies in the social integration and uptake of science might be overcome if modern scientific institutions were more reflexive and open about the implicit normative commitments embedded in scientific cultures.

Adaptive capacity and human cognition: The process of individual adaptation to climate change

2005-04-24

Torsten Grothmann , Anthony Patt

Cultural Boundaries of Science: Credibility on the Line

2001-01-01

Peter Whalley , Thomas F. Gieryn

Why is so credible? Usual answers centre on scientists' objective methods or their powerful instruments. This text argues that a better explanation for the cultural authority of lies downstream, when … Why is so credible? Usual answers centre on scientists' objective methods or their powerful instruments. This text argues that a better explanation for the cultural authority of lies downstream, when scientific claims leave laboratories and enter courtrooms, boardrooms, and living rooms. On such occasions, we use to decide who to believe - cultural maps demarcating from pseudoscience, ideology, faith, or nonsense. Thomas F. Gieryn looks at episodes of boundary-work: Was phrenology good science? How about cold fusion? Is social really scientific? Is organic farming? After centuries of disputes like these, Gieryn finds no stable criteria that absolutely distinguish from non-science. Science remains a pliable cultural space, flexibly reshaped to claim credibility for some beliefs while denying it to others. In an epilogue, Gieryn finds this same controversy at the heart of the raging science wars.

Using narratives and storytelling to communicate science with nonexpert audiences

2014-09-15

Michael F. Dahlstrom

Although storytelling often has negative connotations within science, narrative formats of communication should not be disregarded when communicating science to nonexpert audiences. Narratives offer increased comprehension, interest, and engagement. Nonexperts … Although storytelling often has negative connotations within science, narrative formats of communication should not be disregarded when communicating science to nonexpert audiences. Narratives offer increased comprehension, interest, and engagement. Nonexperts get most of their science information from mass media content, which is itself already biased toward narrative formats. Narratives are also intrinsically persuasive, which offers science communicators tactics for persuading otherwise resistant audiences, although such use also raises ethical considerations. Future intersections of narrative research with ongoing discussions in science communication are introduced.

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“Fear Won't Do It”

2009-01-07

Saffron O’Neill , Sophie Nicholson-Cole

Fear-inducing representations of climate change are widely employed in the public domain. However, there is a lack of clarity in the literature about the impacts that fearful messages in climate … Fear-inducing representations of climate change are widely employed in the public domain. However, there is a lack of clarity in the literature about the impacts that fearful messages in climate change communications have on people's senses of engagement with the issue and associated implications for public engagement strategies. Some literature suggests that using fearful representations of climate change may be counterproductive. The authors explore this assertion in the context of two empirical studies that investigated the role of visual, and iconic, representations of climate change for public engagement respectively. Results demonstrate that although such representations have much potential for attracting people's attention to climate change, fear is generally an ineffective tool for motivating genuine personal engagement. Nonthreatening imagery and icons that link to individuals' everyday emotions and concerns in the context of this macro-environmental issue tend to be the most engaging. Recommendations for constructively engaging individuals with climate change are given.

Balance as bias: global warming and the US prestige press

2004-07-01

Maxwell Boykoff , Jules Boykoff

Genesis and Development of a Scientific Fact.

1982-05-01

Andy Pickering , Ludwik Fleck , Thaddeus J. Trenn +2 more

Originally published in German in 1935, this monograph anticipated solutions to problems of scientific progress, the truth of scientific fact and the role of error in science now associated with … Originally published in German in 1935, this monograph anticipated solutions to problems of scientific progress, the truth of scientific fact and the role of error in science now associated with the work of Thomas Kuhn and others. Arguing that every scientific concept and theory including his own is culturally conditioned, Fleck was appreciably ahead of his time. And as Kuhn observes in his foreword, Though much has occurred since its publication, it remains a brilliant and largely unexploited resource. many scientists just as to many historians and philosophers of science facts are things that simply are the case: they are discovered through properly passive observation of natural reality. To such views Fleck replies that facts are invented, not discovered. Moreover, the appearance of scientific facts as discovered things is itself a social construction, a made thing. A work of transparent brilliance, one of the most significant contributions toward a thoroughly sociological account of scientific knowledge. Steven Shapin, Science

Sustainability science: The emerging research program

2003-06-06

William C. Clark , Nancy M. Dickson

We introduce an intuitive particle-based model of time-symmetric quantum physics that gives a concrete description of what goes on in the time between projective measurements of a quantum system. The … We introduce an intuitive particle-based model of time-symmetric quantum physics that gives a concrete description of what goes on in the time between projective measurements of a quantum system. The time-symmetry in this model means that we ...Physical interpretations of the time-symmetric formulation of quantum mechanics, due to Aharonov, Bergmann, and Lebowitz are discussed in terms of weak values. The most direct, yet somewhat naive, interpretation uses the time-symmetric formulation to ...

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Boomerang Effects in Science Communication

2011-08-11

P. Sol Hart , Erik C. Nisbet

The deficit-model of science communication assumes increased communication about science issues will move public opinion toward the scientific consensus. However, in the case of climate change, public polarization about the … The deficit-model of science communication assumes increased communication about science issues will move public opinion toward the scientific consensus. However, in the case of climate change, public polarization about the issue has increased in recent years, not diminished. In this study, we draw from theories of motivated reasoning, social identity, and persuasion to examine how science-based messages may increase public polarization on controversial science issues such as climate change. Exposing 240 adults to simulated news stories about possible climate change health impacts on different groups, we found the influence of identification with potential victims was contingent on participants’ political partisanship. This partisanship increased the degree of political polarization on support for climate mitigation policies and resulted in a boomerang effect among Republican participants. Implications for understanding the role of motivated reasoning within the context of science communication are discussed.

Barriers perceived to engaging with climate change among the UK public and their policy implications

2007-04-07

Irene Lorenzoni , Sophie Nicholson-Cole , Lorraine Whitmarsh

Shifting public opinion on climate change: an empirical assessment of factors influencing concern over climate change in the U.S., 2002–2010

2012-02-03

Robert J. Brulle , Jason T. Carmichael , J. Craig Jenkins

Opening Pandora's Box: A Sociological Analysis of Scientists' Discourse.

1985-01-01

Thomas F. Gieryn , Nigel Gilbert , Michael Mulkay

Acknowledgements Preface 1. Scientists' discourse as a topic 2. A possible history of the field 3. Contexts of scientific discourse 4. Accounting for error 5. The truth will out 6. … Acknowledgements Preface 1. Scientists' discourse as a topic 2. A possible history of the field 3. Contexts of scientific discourse 4. Accounting for error 5. The truth will out 6. Constructing and deconstructing consensus 7. Working conceptual hallucinations 8. Joking apart 9. Pandora's bequest Notes Index.

Changing Order: Replication and Induction in Scientific Practice

1988-10-01

Susan Leigh Star , H. M. Collins

H M Collins is co-author of the widely acclaimed Frames of Meaning Director of the Science Studies Centre at Bath University. He continues his work in the sociology of science … H M Collins is co-author of the widely acclaimed Frames of Meaning Director of the Science Studies Centre at Bath University. He continues his work in the sociology of science with this book, a fascinating study of both the maintenance and alteration of order within science. Three original studies of scientific work -- the building of TEA-lasers, the detection of gravitational radiation, and experiments in the paranormal -- form the core of the book. They brilliantly demonstrate the interlinked problems of replication and induction in the actual day-to-day practice of science. As one of the foremost proponents of the 'relativist' view of science, Collins convincingly illustrates how the individual scientist is tied to a whole variety of institutions and networks in the wider society and how these constrain research choices and influence laboratory outcome. Changing Order is a masterful, often witty, account of how one set of facts rather than another emerges from sometimes bitter controversy; and it shows how replicable results are induced in the untidy but normally private world of scientific practice.

Climate Change Risk Perception and Policy Preferences: The Role of Affect, Imagery, and Values

2006-07-19

Anthony Leiserowitz

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Science in Society: Re-Evaluating the Deficit Model of Public Attitudes

2004-01-01

Patrick Sturgis , Nick Allum

The “deficit model” of public attitudes towards science has led to controversy over the role of scientific knowledge in explaining lay people’s attitudes towards science. In this paper we challenge … The “deficit model” of public attitudes towards science has led to controversy over the role of scientific knowledge in explaining lay people’s attitudes towards science. In this paper we challenge the de facto orthodoxy that has connected the deficit model and contextualist perspectives with quantitative and qualitative research methods respectively. We simultaneously test hypotheses from both theoretical approaches using quantitative methodology. The results point to the clear importance of knowledge as a determinant of attitudes toward science. However, in contrast to the rather simplistic deficit model that has traditionally characterized discussions of this relationship, this analysis highlights the complex and interacting nature of the knowledge— attitude interface.

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Communicating climate change: history, challenges, process and future directions

2009-12-22

Susanne C. Moser

Abstract Since anthropogenic climate change first emerged on the public agenda in the mid‐to‐late 1980s, public communication of climate change and—more recently—the question of how to communicate it most effectively … Abstract Since anthropogenic climate change first emerged on the public agenda in the mid‐to‐late 1980s, public communication of climate change and—more recently—the question of how to communicate it most effectively have witnessed a steep rise. This paper synthesizes what is known, presumed, and still unknown about how to effectively communicate this problem. An introductory historical overview of climate change communication is followed by a discussion of the challenges that communicators face in trying to convey the issue (invisibility of causes, distant impacts, lack of immediacy and direct experience of the impacts, lack of gratification for taking mitigative actions, disbelief in human's global influence, complexity and uncertainty, inadequate signals indicating the need for change, perceptual limits and self‐interest). The core of the paper focuses on key aspects of the communication process (purpose and scope of the communication, audience, framing, messages, messengers, modes and channels of communication, and assessing the outcomes and effectiveness of a communication). These elements are placed in relationship to several contextual factors that affect the communication process. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research on climate change communication. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This article is categorized under: Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Communication

Knowledge systems for sustainable development

2003-05-30

David W. Cash , William C. Clark , Frank Alcock +5 more

Civil infrastructure will be essential to face the interlinked existential threats of climate change and rising resource demands while ensuring a livable Anthropocene for all. However, conventional infrastructure planning largely … Civil infrastructure will be essential to face the interlinked existential threats of climate change and rising resource demands while ensuring a livable Anthropocene for all. However, conventional infrastructure planning largely neglects the ...

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The Social Construction of Facts and Artefacts: or How the Sociology of Science and the Sociology of Technology might Benefit Each Other

1984-08-01

Trevor Pinch , Wiebe E. Bijker

The need for an integrated social constructivist approach towards the study of science and technology is outlined. Within such a programme both scientific facts and technological artefacts are to be … The need for an integrated social constructivist approach towards the study of science and technology is outlined. Within such a programme both scientific facts and technological artefacts are to be understood as social constructs. Literature on the sociology of science, the science-technology relationship, and technology studies is reviewed. The empirical programme of relativism within the sociology of scientific knowledge and a recent study of the social construction of technological artefacts are combined to produce the new approach. The concepts of `interpretative flexibility' and `closure mechanism', and the notion of `social group' are developed and illustrated by reference to a study of solar physics and a study of the development of the bicycle. The paper concludes by setting out some of the terrain to be explored in future studies.

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The Politicization of Climate Change and Polarization in the American Public's Views of Global Warming, 2001–2010

2011-04-18

Aaron M. McCright , Riley E. Dunlap

We examine political polarization over climate change within the American public by analyzing data from 10 nationally representative Gallup Polls between 2001 and 2010. We find that liberals and Democrats … We examine political polarization over climate change within the American public by analyzing data from 10 nationally representative Gallup Polls between 2001 and 2010. We find that liberals and Democrats are more likely to report beliefs consistent with the scientific consensus and express personal concern about global warming than are conservatives and Republicans. Further, the effects of educational attainment and self-reported understanding on global warming beliefs and concern are positive for liberals and Democrats, but are weaker or negative for conservatives and Republicans. Last, significant ideological and partisan polarization has occurred on the issue of climate change over the past decade.

Containing the Atom: Sociotechnical Imaginaries and Nuclear Power in the United States and South Korea

2009-06-01

Sheila Jasanoff , Sang-Hyun Kim

Climate change and journalistic norms: A case-study of US mass-media coverage

2007-03-29

Maxwell Boykoff , Jules Boykoff

What's next for science communication? Promising directions and lingering distractions

2009-09-04

Matthew C. Nisbet , Dietram A. Scheufele

In this essay, we review research from the social sciences on how the public makes sense of and participates in societal decisions about science and technology. We specifically highlight the … In this essay, we review research from the social sciences on how the public makes sense of and participates in societal decisions about science and technology. We specifically highlight the role of the media and public communication in this process, challenging the still dominant assumption that science literacy is both the problem and the solution to societal conflicts. After reviewing the cases of evolution, climate change, food biotechnology, and nanotechnology, we offer a set of detailed recommendations for improved public engagement efforts on the part of scientists and their organizations. We emphasize the need for science communication initiatives that are guided by careful formative research; that span a diversity of media platforms and audiences; and that facilitate conversations with the public that recognize, respect, and incorporate differences in knowledge, values, perspectives, and goals.

Cool dudes: The denial of climate change among conservative white males in the United States

2011-07-25

Aaron M. McCright , Riley E. Dunlap

How science makes environmental controversies worse

2004-08-10

Daniel Sarewitz

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Predictors of public climate change awareness and risk perception around the world

2015-07-27

Tien Ming Lee , Ezra M. Markowitz , Peter D. Howe +2 more

Quantifying the consensus on anthropogenic global warming in the scientific literature

2013-05-15

John Cook , Dana Nuccitelli , Sarah Green +6 more

Abstract We analyze the evolution of the scientific consensus on anthropogenic global warming (AGW) in the peer-reviewed scientific literature, examining 11 944 climate abstracts from 1991–2011 matching the topics ‘global … Abstract We analyze the evolution of the scientific consensus on anthropogenic global warming (AGW) in the peer-reviewed scientific literature, examining 11 944 climate abstracts from 1991–2011 matching the topics ‘global climate change’ or ‘global warming’. We find that 66.4% of abstracts expressed no position on AGW, 32.6% endorsed AGW, 0.7% rejected AGW and 0.3% were uncertain about the cause of global warming. Among abstracts expressing a position on AGW, 97.1% endorsed the consensus position that humans are causing global warming. In a second phase of this study, we invited authors to rate their own papers. Compared to abstract ratings, a smaller percentage of self-rated papers expressed no position on AGW (35.5%). Among self-rated papers expressing a position on AGW, 97.2% endorsed the consensus. For both abstract ratings and authors’ self-ratings, the percentage of endorsements among papers expressing a position on AGW marginally increased over time. Our analysis indicates that the number of papers rejecting the consensus on AGW is a vanishingly small proportion of the published research.

Meta-analyses of the determinants and outcomes of belief in climate change

2016-02-19

Matthew J. Hornsey , Emily A. Harris , Paul G. Bain +1 more

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Consensus on consensus: a synthesis of consensus estimates on human-caused global warming

2016-04-01

John Cook , Наоми Орескес , Peter T. Doran +7 more

The consensus that humans are causing recent global warming is shared by 90%–100% of publishing climate scientists according to six independent studies by co-authors of this paper. Those results are … The consensus that humans are causing recent global warming is shared by 90%–100% of publishing climate scientists according to six independent studies by co-authors of this paper. Those results are consistent with the 97% consensus reported by Cook et al (Environ. Res. Lett. 8 024024) based on 11 944 abstracts of research papers, of which 4014 took a position on the cause of recent global warming. A survey of authors of those papers (N = 2412 papers) also supported a 97% consensus. Tol (2016 Environ. Res. Lett. 11 048001) comes to a different conclusion using results from surveys of non-experts such as economic geologists and a self-selected group of those who reject the consensus. We demonstrate that this outcome is not unexpected because the level of consensus correlates with expertise in climate science. At one point, Tol also reduces the apparent consensus by assuming that abstracts that do not explicitly state the cause of global warming ('no position') represent non-endorsement, an approach that if applied elsewhere would reject consensus on well-established theories such as plate tectonics. We examine the available studies and conclude that the finding of 97% consensus in published climate research is robust and consistent with other surveys of climate scientists and peer-reviewed studies.

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Misunderstood misunderstanding: social identities and public uptake of science

1992-07-01

Brian Wynne

This paper draws general insights into the public reception of scientific knowledge from a case study of Cumbrian sheep farmers' responses to scientific advice about the restrictions introduced after the … This paper draws general insights into the public reception of scientific knowledge from a case study of Cumbrian sheep farmers' responses to scientific advice about the restrictions introduced after the Chernobyl radioactive fallout. The analysis identifies several substantive factors which influence the credibility of scientific communication. Starting from the now-accepted point that public uptake of science depends primarily upon the trust and credibility public groups are prepared to invest in scientific institutions and representatives, the paper observes that these are contingent upon the social relationships and identities which people feel to be affected by scientific knowledge, which never comes free of social interests or implications. The case study shows laypeople capable of extensive informal reflection upon their social relationships towards scientific experts, and on the epistemological status of their own `local' knowledge in relation to `outside' knowledge. Public uptake of science might be improved if scientific institutions expressed an equivalent reflexive discourse in the public domain.

World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice

2017-10-10

William J. Ripple , Christopher Wolf , Thomas M. Newsome +5 more

A full list of co-signatories can be found A full list of co-signatories can be found

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Ecological grief as a mental health response to climate change-related loss

2018-03-29

Ashlee Cunsolo , Neville Ellis

A Billion Black Anthropocenes or None

2018-11-01

Kathryn Yusoff

The polarizing impact of science literacy and numeracy on perceived climate change risks

2012-05-25

Dan M. Kahan , Ellen Peters , Maggie Wittlin +4 more

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Experience-Based and Description-Based Perceptions of Long-Term Risk: Why Global Warming does not Scare us (Yet)

2006-07-20

Elke U. Weber

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Cultural boundaries of science: Credibility on the line

1999-05-01

Ecological Communication

1991-01-01

Leo Narodny , Niklas Luhmann , John Bednarz

Climate sorrow or climate shame? Climate compounds as part of a social positioning in Danish media

2025-06-25

Kirstine Boas , Tina Thode Hougaard | NyS Nydanske Sprogstudier

Klimasorg eller klimaskam? Psykologiserende klimakomposita som led i en social positionering

2025-06-25

Kirstine Boas , Tina Thode Hougaard | NyS Nydanske Sprogstudier

Siden 2018 er dækningen af klimanyheder steget i de danske medier. Brugen af ord med klima som første led følger samme mønster. Vi foreslår at kalde disse klimakomposita. I denne … Siden 2018 er dækningen af klimanyheder steget i de danske medier. Brugen af ord med klima som første led følger samme mønster. Vi foreslår at kalde disse klimakomposita. I denne artikel identificerer vi de mest anvendte klimakomposita og kategoriserer dem i kategorierne: positive tiltag, diskursiv kamp mellem aktivisme og skepsis samt psykologisering af følelser og tanker om klimaet. Sidstnævnte er særligt interessant, da nye komposita inden for denne kategori for nylig er opstået. Eksempler herpå er klimasorg og klimaskam. Vi viser, at brugen af klimabekymring er faldende, mens den mere alvorlige klimaangst tager over. Nærlæsninger af eksempler på disse klimakomposita viser, at klimasorg anvendes til at positionere sig selv i en tilstand af håbløshed på vegne af klimaet og i opposition til dem, der sætter deres lid til håb for at redde jorden. Vi viser også, at klimaskam bruges både af grupper, der oplever følelsen, og af dem, der insisterer på ikke at føle skam (modsat klimasorg, som udelukkende bruges af dem, der føler den). Analysen viser således, at nogle klimakomposita kan fortolkes lokalt, så de stemmer overens med ens egen oplevelse og forståelse af klimaforandringernes alvor.

Can dissent be meaningfully measured in an overwhelming consensus? A citation network case study in climate change research

2025-06-25

Jonathan Grunert | PLOS Climate

In scientific discourse, the prevalence of overwhelming consensus obscures the presence of dissenting views as well as their characteristics. This paper explores the potential to meaningfully measure dissent within the … In scientific discourse, the prevalence of overwhelming consensus obscures the presence of dissenting views as well as their characteristics. This paper explores the potential to meaningfully measure dissent within the context of such a consensus, using climate change research as a case study. Using citation analysis to explore the dynamics of scientific publications and the reception of dissenting opinions, this project questions whether there may be a methodological framework for quantifying dissent. This study employs analysis of citation networks to assess the visibility and impact of minority viewpoints, as well as the viability of such a study. The findings indicate that because dissent in climate change research is miniscule such measurements are limited. Despite that finding, researchers on the fringe of scientific consensus have an outsized impact on social viewpoints. This project has potential to disrupt the ways researchers critically consider the relevance of dissenting research in their own fields, and to think of ways to embrace the impact of research that expands their fields.

Reevaluating broadcast television news and current affairs programs for communicating scientific knowledge in everyday natural settings in Japan

2025-06-25

Taichi Masu , Yasuhito Abe | Journal of Science Communication

This practice insight explores the potential of broadcast television news and current affairs programs for science communication in everyday viewing environments. Using the Japanese news program Shins¯o H¯od¯o Bankisha! as … This practice insight explores the potential of broadcast television news and current affairs programs for science communication in everyday viewing environments. Using the Japanese news program Shins¯o H¯od¯o Bankisha! as a case study, we assessed its impact on public knowledge of “blue carbon”, a relatively new scientific topic. The program aired on May 28, 2023, reaching an estimated 2.76 million viewers in the Kanto region. A survey revealed that viewers exposed to “blue carbon” through the broadcast showed significant knowledge gains compared to non-viewers, regardless of their interest in science. This included individuals with low scientific interest, a group often excluded by traditional science communication methods. Despite the rise in popularity of digital media formats, broadcast television news and current affairs programs showed their unique ability to disseminate scientific knowledge to diverse audiences, even in today’s multitasking environments. These findings highlight the enduring relevance of television in science communication and its potential to complement digital platforms for broader public engagement.

Art as a target for climate activism: Does it raise public attention?

2025-06-23

Vincenzo Alfano , Massimo Guarino | Journal of Environmental Management

In 2022, a series of environmental protests targeted Western art masterpieces to provoke public awareness of climate change. While these attacks received considerable media attention, one question remains unanswered: did … In 2022, a series of environmental protests targeted Western art masterpieces to provoke public awareness of climate change. While these attacks received considerable media attention, one question remains unanswered: did they affect public attention regarding climate-related issues? Using weekly Google Trends data across Western countries and applying both interrupted time series and difference-in-differences estimators, we assess whether these acts shifted public attention. Exploiting the presence of climate action among the Sustainable Development Goals, and constructing a counterfactual using public interest in other goals, we find that, across multiple specifications and robustness checks, climate action became relatively more salient following the attacks. Our results suggest that the strategy of targeting symbolic cultural goods was associated with a measurable increase in public attention regarding environmental issues.

Book Review: Science and the Public

2025-06-23

Laida Arbizu Aguirre | Journal of Science Communication

Science and the Public by Angela Potochnik provides a thoughtful examination of the evolving relationship between science and society. By focusing on the ethical obligations of science, the author challenges … Science and the Public by Angela Potochnik provides a thoughtful examination of the evolving relationship between science and society. By focusing on the ethical obligations of science, the author challenges conventional views by depicting science as a socially constructed entity with responsibilities to the public. The text explores topics such as public trust, the importance of inclusive research approaches, and the need for participatory scientific initiatives. Combining philosophical, ethical, and science communication viewpoints, the work advocates for institutional reforms aimed at making science more beneficial to diverse communities and better equipped to address pressing societal issues.

Climate change anxiety: A meta-analysis

2025-06-21

Clara Kühner , Corinna Gemmecke , Joachim Hüffmeier +1 more | Global Environmental Change

Unlocking Climate Action: A Systematic Review of Pathways to Climate‐Friendly Cities Through Behavioral Change

2025-06-21

N.M. Nascimento Lima , Mikael Nygård , Mehdi P. Heris | Sustainable Development

ABSTRACT Maintaining planetary borders is crucial to prevent significant Earth system shifts. Climate change, primarily driven by carbon emissions, necessitates reducing urban carbon footprints. Cities contribute significantly to emissions, and … ABSTRACT Maintaining planetary borders is crucial to prevent significant Earth system shifts. Climate change, primarily driven by carbon emissions, necessitates reducing urban carbon footprints. Cities contribute significantly to emissions, and citizens play a crucial role in creating ecologically sustainable cities by changing attitudes. This systematic literature review aims to identify effective strategies for motivating citizen participation in climate policy implementation and fostering positive attitudes toward climate policies to achieve carbon‐neutral cities. It analyzes scholarly works that discuss strategies designed to change citizens' attitudes and behaviors to foster eco‐social awareness and engage them in alignment with existing climate policies. The results highlight the necessity for a multifaceted strategy that includes technological, behavioral, community‐based, and policy‐driven approaches to tackle climate change effectively. It also shows that there is no one‐size‐fits‐all response; therefore, more research on citizens' preferences based on past experiences and geographic locations is essential.

Mapping technological futures: anticipatory discourse through text mining

2025-06-21

Maciej Skórski , Alina Landowska , Krzysztof Rajda | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

Cutting emissions, halting biodiversity loss: climate change solutions in the language of UK politicians and UK climate activists, 2018–2020

2025-06-21

John S. G. Currie | Text and Talk

Abstract Activists and politicians are important groups in the context of climate change discourse but have thus far rarely been studied in terms of their discursive constructions of climate change … Abstract Activists and politicians are important groups in the context of climate change discourse but have thus far rarely been studied in terms of their discursive constructions of climate change solutions, especially via big data methods. This paper uses a corpus-assisted discourse studies approach to analyse semantic transitivity patterns in how climate change mitigation and adaptation are discussed in two corpora of UK climate activist and parliamentary discourse, 2018–2020. A novel aspect of the methodology involves locating discursive constructions of climate change mitigation and adaptation in large datasets via verbs which semantically address climate change causes and effects. The findings reveal a degree of similarity between the two groups, occasionally suggesting that their language is similar, particularly in 2019 where, for example, discussions of fossil fuel increase from a comparatively low level in the parliamentary corpus but decrease as a percentage share from a comparatively high level in the activist corpus. However, the findings also confirm existing research that climate change activists reject hegemonic discourses to which politicians tend to adhere, such as there being a greater emphasis on economic costs and opportunities in the parliamentary corpus. Both the methodology and the findings pose questions for future research.

:<i>Defending the Arctic Refuge: A Photographer, an Indigenous Nation, and a Fight for Environmental Justice.</i>

2025-06-20

Philip A. Wight | Environmental History

The social resonance of environmental media messages: a connectionist-inspired reception analysis

2025-06-20

Pascal Verhoest , Jo Renate Bauwens , Petrus Te Braak +1 more | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

MEDIA AND SUSTAINABILITY DISCOURSES: AN ANALYSIS OF COP26 AND COP27

2025-06-20

Özden ÖZLÜ | Kafkas Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi

This study examines the dynamic relationship between environmental conferences and the media, exploring how sustainability discourses are shaped. The research analyzes the reports of COP26 and COP27 conferences and related … This study examines the dynamic relationship between environmental conferences and the media, exploring how sustainability discourses are shaped. The research analyzes the reports of COP26 and COP27 conferences and related media content. The study identifies crisis-oriented, solution-oriented, and policy-oriented frameworks and evaluates in detail the relationships between media and conference reports. Findings indicate that conference reports emphasize long-term cooperation and technical solutions, while the media dramatizes crisis narratives and highlights economic opportunities. COP26 stands out with urgent calls for action to limit global warming to 1.5°C, whereas COP27 focuses on financial commitments. In conclusion, media narratives increase public awareness but may narrow sustainability goals in the long term. Associating solution- and policy-oriented narratives with tangible projects and economic opportunities has heightened public interest.

Place-based and intergenerational storytelling for youth climate action: moving beyond participation and towards momentum

2025-06-20

Florence Halstead , Katie Parsons , Theodore Vo +6 more | Children s Geographies

In Case You Haven't Heard…

2025-06-20

| Mental Health Weekly

New data from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) reveal more than half of adults (55%) believe climate change is impacting Americans' mental health. More than 40% of adults report personally … New data from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) reveal more than half of adults (55%) believe climate change is impacting Americans' mental health. More than 40% of adults report personally experiencing effects on their mental health, including nearly one in five who report a significant impact, an APA news release stated. Additionally, one‐third of adults (35%) worry about climate change on a weekly basis, indicating that for many, this is a persistent source of stress. The poll also showed anxiety over whether governmental response to climate change is widespread. About 6 in 10 adults say they're anxious about how the government is currently dealing with climate change, including more than one‐fourth (28%) who report high anxiety. A very small share of Americans (4%) doesn't believe climate change exists. These results come from the APA Healthy Minds polls, fielded by Morning Consult on behalf of APA. This poll was conducted March 18‐20, 2025, among a sample of 2,208 adults ages 18 and older in the United States.

Researches of “Teaching and Learning on ESD” Over the Last Two Decades: Bibliometric Analysis

2025-06-20

Duhita Savira Wardani , Ari Widodo , Ernawulan Syaodih +1 more | KnE Social Sciences

This study aims to provide an overview of ‘teaching and learning on ESD’ research in terms of scientific production, preferred publication venues, most involved researchers and countries (including collaborations). Data … This study aims to provide an overview of ‘teaching and learning on ESD’ research in terms of scientific production, preferred publication venues, most involved researchers and countries (including collaborations). Data collection was done by extracting articles from Scopus online database system. The output was exported in BibTex format and was converted to a data frame through a function in bibliometrix. The main findings point to a continuous increase in research output in the field ‘teaching and learning on ESD’ over the last two decades. Furthermore, they indicate a shift regarding the research foci. While formerly mainly papers on the ESD were published, recently, an increase in the relevancy of empirical studies on the ‘teaching and learning on ESD’ can be observed. However, this study only focused on articles published in scientific journals so that future studies can also consider other sources books or conference proceedings.

An absurdist approach to radical climate activism: Understanding responses to the climate change problem

2025-06-20

Juan Coetzee | South African Journal of Philosophy

Reconnecting to nature

2025-06-20

Steve Taylor | Transpersonal Psychology Review

Mapping Climate Change Communication: A Social Network and Discourse Analysis Approach

2025-06-19

Vanessa Marcella | International Journal of English Linguistics

Climate change communication increasingly unfolds within digital environments, where social media platforms such as Twitter play a pivotal role in shaping public discourse (Papacharissi, 2015). This study combines Social Network … Climate change communication increasingly unfolds within digital environments, where social media platforms such as Twitter play a pivotal role in shaping public discourse (Papacharissi, 2015). This study combines Social Network Analysis (SNA) and Discourse Analysis (DA) to explore how climate change is discussed and structured through Twitter interactions. A dataset of tweets mentioning Greta Thunberg and Donald Trump&mdash;the two most frequently mentioned figures identified through network centrality measures&mdash;was analyzed. Using Gephi software, network properties such as modularity, degree centrality, and graph diameter were evaluated and visualized through the Force Atlas layout. The findings reveal a fragmented but interconnected network structure, with modular clusters aligned with political, activist, and organizational affiliations. Discourse analysis of the tweets highlights contrasting narrative strategies: while Greta Thunberg is framed through language of solidarity, urgency, and mobilization, Donald Trump is predominantly referenced through oppositional and critical discourse. These patterns exemplify the dynamics of connective action in digital environments, where personal engagement drives collective narratives (Bennett &amp; Segerberg, 2012). Overall, the results suggest that Twitter reflects and amplifies emotional and ideological currents within the climate change debate, fostering both polarization and solidarity across different stakeholder communities. This study contributes to understanding the complex interplay between digital communication structures and climate change narratives.

Narrative Versus Statistical Evidence in Environmental Persuasion: A Meta-Analysis Study

2025-06-19

Sammi Choi , Meng Chen , Guo Zaifu | Science Communication

This meta-analysis examines the effectiveness of narrative versus statistical evidence in environmental communication. Narrative evidence significantly enhances risk perception and behavioral intention, while statistical evidence plays a more conditional role … This meta-analysis examines the effectiveness of narrative versus statistical evidence in environmental communication. Narrative evidence significantly enhances risk perception and behavioral intention, while statistical evidence plays a more conditional role in shaping attitudes. Moderator analyses reveal that video-based messages enhance the impact of narratives on risk perception, while locally framed statistical messages strengthen their effect on attitude. Longer messages are more effective at influencing behavioral outcomes than shorter ones. Explicit statistical messages enhance risk perception and intention, while non-explicit narratives remain effective. These findings highlight the importance of integrating narrative and statistical evidence in environmental communication campaigns.

Speaking of Extinction: A Comparative Corpus-assisted Analysis of Metaphorical Framing in Climate Change Fiction and British Newspapers

2025-06-19

Taner Can , Hakan Cangır | Litera:dil,edebiyat ve kültür araştırmaları dergisi

Editor's view: Value of information in the 21st century – examples from science, medicine, policy, media, and markets

2025-06-19

Igor Rudan | Journal of Global Health

This editorial explores the concept of the 'value of information' in the 21st century through five distinct domains: science, medicine, policy, media, and markets. It uses examples to show that … This editorial explores the concept of the 'value of information' in the 21st century through five distinct domains: science, medicine, policy, media, and markets. It uses examples to show that not all information is of equal value. Valuable information shifts probabilities assigned to our hypotheses in the most meaningful ways. It significantly alters our knowledge and understanding of our context, helps us prioritise more rational ideas, and facilitates better decision-making. This paper also addresses the necessity of a conscious observer for the value of information to exist. It develops a framework for how the brain perceives, processes, and assigns value to new information. An example with childhood memories is used to explain the incremental and disruptive shifts in understanding that information of different value can cause. Further examples illustrate how well-designed research can amplify the value of information, how long-neglected information can be rediscovered and used to radically reshape policy, and how expert crowdsourcing can prioritise ideas and democratise decision-making. They also show how key pieces of the most valuable information can redirect policies, have large real-world impact, and save lives. The role of disinformation is also addressed, particularly its power to distort our shared understanding of the related context, mislead rational activities and prompt susceptible people to prioritise irrational ideas. Mainstream media and social media can enable rapid spread of disinformation, exploiting the greater intensity of the brain's response to an unexpected surprise over the expected truth. Stock market prices, meanwhile, reflect in real time how each new information changes the perceived value of a company. Valuable information seems to have some inherent traits: relevance, i.e. it influences an observer's perception of the related beliefs or hypotheses; credibility, i.e. it needs to be trusted by an observer; and leverage, i.e. it influences an observer's ideas and decisions decisively. Where all three criteria align, information assumes a 'high value coefficient' and serves in revising prioritised ideas. Designing activities to increase this coefficient is therefore of common interest to scientists, health professionals, policymakers, journalists, and investors. As artificial intelligence accelerates the volume and speed of data production, human and machine systems alike will focus not merely on data collection, but on discerning which missing information, if generated, could enable the greatest positive impact on the real world. Ultimately, future success in science, medicine, policy, media, and markets may not necessarily be linked to gathering the largest amount information, but rather being good at identifying, generating, and acting upon the information that is most valuable.

Psychology and the ethics of climate change

2025-06-19

Susan Clayton , Adam R. Pearson | Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks

The Pernicious Effects of Uncertainty on Municipal Climate Action

2025-06-19

Daniel Engelberg , Anne Hudson , Yonah Freemark +2 more | Urban Affairs Review

How elected officials make policy in an uncertain context is insufficiently understood. To fill that gap, this research examines how much uncertainty impacts climate action in large U.S. cities. We … How elected officials make policy in an uncertain context is insufficiently understood. To fill that gap, this research examines how much uncertainty impacts climate action in large U.S. cities. We sent a survey to all elected officials in U.S. cities with populations >100,000, querying their level of climate uncertainty and their support for climate policies. To analyze the results, we use a structural equation model with a robust and novel measure of climate uncertainty and then examine the direct and indirect effects of climate uncertainty on a policymakers’ propensity to support climate action. We find that municipal elected officials are generally supportive of climate action, though their support varies substantially based on their partisan affiliations and views about the appropriate role of government. Increased climate uncertainty diminishes support for action. These findings suggest the importance of communicating the robustness and co-benefits of climate policies.

Climate cafés as a space for navigating climate emotions: A scoping review

2025-06-19

A. de Jong , Susan Harris , Christy Costanian +1 more | The Journal of Climate Change and Health

Communicatively constructing lines between publics and science

2025-06-18

Cornelius Puschmann | Routledge eBooks

Learning to support science: gender differences in how scientific literacy mediates formal education’s effect on U.S. adults’ public support for science

2025-06-18

Kevin M. Roessger , Arie T. Greenleaf | Frontiers in Education

Introduction Scientific literacy is targeted by the knowledge deficit model , which predicts that increased scientific literacy improves public support for science. The model, in part, assumes formal education drives … Introduction Scientific literacy is targeted by the knowledge deficit model , which predicts that increased scientific literacy improves public support for science. The model, in part, assumes formal education drives scientific knowledge, which, in turn, drives support for science. To date, though, this relationship is unclear, and research shows that, while formal education is associated with adults’ public support for science, scientific literacy maintains only a small relationship with support for science, one that may differ by gender. Methods Using a conditional process analysis, we drew on 2018 General Social Survey data to examine whether scientific literacy mediates education’s effects on support for science and whether this relationship differs by gender. Results We found that scientific literacy partially mediates the effect of formal education on public support for science: As formal education increases, so does scientific literacy, which in turn increases support for science. This relationship differed markedly by gender. For men, education improved support for science only through scientific literacy gains, whereas for women, education improved support for science regardless of scientific literacy. Discussion Our findings demonstrate a key assumption of the knowledge deficit model, namely that, overall, more education leads to more scientific literacy, which in turn leads to greater public support for science. Considered alone, though, these findings ignore substantial gender differences. Specifically, the mediational process assumed by the knowledge deficit model occurred only in men. It was an inaccurate account of formal education’s effect in women. This may be a principal reason why the knowledge deficit model is roundly criticized as inadequate for addressing public communication of science.

Science, pseudoscience, and mythmongering (1988)

2025-06-18

Maureen O’Hara | Routledge eBooks

More Than Just a Pretty Picture: Lessons Learned From Working With a Science Communicator to Create the <i>L&O Bulletin</i>'s May Cover Art

2025-06-18

Jemma M. Fadum | Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin

Understanding Climate Anxiety and Potential Impacts on Pro-Environment Behaviours

2025-06-18

Zac Coates , Scott Brown , Michelle Kelly | Journal of Anxiety Disorders

Previous studies have identified harmful social, physical, and mental impacts due to climate change. Anxiety due to climate change or "climate anxiety" may be an adaptive or reasonable response to … Previous studies have identified harmful social, physical, and mental impacts due to climate change. Anxiety due to climate change or "climate anxiety" may be an adaptive or reasonable response to a real threat; however, it may also be associated with considerable functional impairment of associated behaviours. In this study, we examined the relationship between climate anxiety and pro-environment behaviours, via an online discrete choice experiment, with 374 participants recruited from prolific academic and undergraduate university recruitment program. This experiment included our discrete choice measure of pro-environment behaviours and self-report survey items examining climate anxiety, general anxiety, death anxiety, and locus of control. We found that a moderate level of climate anxiety may be optimal for making pro-environmental choices, with this group having significantly more eco-friendly choices than participants in the low or high climate anxiety groups. We also examined the relationships between climate anxiety and three other psychological concepts, locus of control, general anxiety, and death anxiety, and found that these 3 factors were positively related to climate anxiety. These findings may indicate that some additional negative mental health outcomes are associated with high levels of climate anxiety. This study provides evidence for the use of discrete choice experiments when examining pro-environment behaviours, which may allow future studies to further examine various other trade-offs or factors such as the cost that participants are willing to "pay" for an eco-friendly option.

An Attempt to Construct a Japanese Version of Cultural Worldviews Scale

2025-06-18

Mia Takeda , Aya Takagi , Rie Toriyama | The Japanese Journal of Personality

Hype in science communication: exploring scientists’ attitudes and practices in quantum physics

2025-06-17

María T. Soto-Sanfiel , Chin-Wen Chong , José I. Latorre | Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

Tech Dude Vs Environmental Crisis: White Masculinity and Technofetishism in the Anglo-American Eco-documentary

2025-06-17

Hunter Vaughan | Environmental Communication

Amplifying Global Majority Youth Voices Through Creating Safe(r), Brave(r), and Riskier Spaces: The Theatre of Climate Action (ToCA) Project

2025-06-17

Dena Arya , Lydia Ayame Hiraide , Alude Mahali +1 more | Youth

Youth make up a fifth of the world’s population and will suffer the consequences of the climate catastrophe to differing extents depending on their social and geographical locations. The climate … Youth make up a fifth of the world’s population and will suffer the consequences of the climate catastrophe to differing extents depending on their social and geographical locations. The climate crisis is thus a matter of both intergenerational and racial/imperial injustice. Intersectional and interdisciplinary climate justice approaches are growing in the field of youth climate activism and, more often, these are necessarily engaging with collaborative methods to platform the voices of marginalised youth and those who live the colonial difference. Our paper provides early reflections from a youth climate activism artistic research project titled ‘Theatre of Climate Action: Amplifying Youth Voices for Climate Justice in Guadeloupe and South Africa’ (ToCA). In this project, sixteen young people aged 18-30 from South Africa and Guadeloupe collaborate to design, produce, and create theatre performances that reflect their exploration of climate justice through their lived experiences using artistic research methods. Specifically, we examine the opportunities and challenges in using the framework of Safe(r), Brave(r), and Riskier Spaces to support collaborative and emancipatory art-making practices that allow youth to become co-creators in this project. Insights revealed that an intentional embrace of safety, bravery, and risk as an ethico-political basis for art making was critical to cultivate a sense of community, trust, and belonging for youth co-creators.

Space for knowledge and action: the climate change education and research center project

2025-06-17

Mateusz Mikołajów | BUILDER

<ns3:p>The article is a case study of the design of the climate change education and research center in Opole. The paper aims to analyze the designed building as a model … <ns3:p>The article is a case study of the design of the climate change education and research center in Opole. The paper aims to analyze the designed building as a model spatial and functional solution that responds to the needs of education and climate change activities. The methodology includes an analysis of existing facilities with similar functions and a discussion and evaluation of the center designed by the author. The result of the paper is the identification of key features and functions that should characterize facilities of this type – including the flexibility of space to adapt to dynamic changes in scientific research and the integration of educational, research, and exhibition functions. The article also emphasizes the importance of locating in a disused limestone pit, enabling the use of its peculiarities as part of the facility's narrative, relating to the impact of human activity on the environment and its regeneration processes. The conclusions of the analysis highlight the importance of specialized spaces for educating the public and implementing ideas.</ns3:p>

Report-Backs: A customizable science communication “model” for reporting results to participatory science observers

2025-06-17

Meghan Collins , Benjamin J. Hatchett , Sonia Tonino +2 more | Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

Abstract Participatory (citizen) science projects often include “report-backs” sharing results with the volunteers contributing data. Report-backs can take many forms, yet there has been limited dialog on strategies to support … Abstract Participatory (citizen) science projects often include “report-backs” sharing results with the volunteers contributing data. Report-backs can take many forms, yet there has been limited dialog on strategies to support communication of research results. Because report-backs are an important aspect of observer engagement, we offer a customizable science communication “model” for report-backs from the Mountain Rain or Snow project with strategies for sharing findings with observers. A report-back on the outcomes of atmospheric rivers provides a practical example. We share preliminary qualitative survey data from observers as to how our report-backs meet their expectations, highlight preferences for regional focus and concise but interesting summaries, as well as how report-backs positively reinforce the role of observers. Overall, participants found report-backs valuable to gain a deeper understanding of the project and research goals, which may enhance participation.

AI narratives model: Social perception of artificial intelligence

2025-06-17

Elena Denia | Technovation

U.S. researchers are speaking up for science in local newspapers

2025-06-17

| AAAS Articles DO Group

Exploring Impacts of Environmentally Focused Imagery on Pro-Environment Behaviours and Climate Anxiety

2025-06-16

Zac Coates , Scott Brown , Michelle Kelly | Climate

Climate change poses a significant threat to sustainability and may result in psychological distress, such as climate anxiety, which may play a critical role in influencing pro-environment behaviours. This study … Climate change poses a significant threat to sustainability and may result in psychological distress, such as climate anxiety, which may play a critical role in influencing pro-environment behaviours. This study aimed to investigate how indirect exposure to environmentally focused imagery may impact pro-environment behaviours and climate anxiety. A total of 283 participants completed our task, with findings indicating that participants who viewed negative environmental imagery had a significant reduction in preference for eco-friendly transportation options compared to participants in other conditions; we saw no significant difference in preference for these participants. When examining the effects of environmental imagery on climate anxiety, we found no significant differences in the level of climate anxiety based on priming condition, indicating that climate anxiety may be more robust to situational events than associated behaviours. This study identifies the potential maladaptive effects of negative climate imagery on pro-environment behaviours and highlights the trait-like nature of climate anxiety. These findings identify the potential for disengagement with behaviour due to negative messaging and imagery associated with climate change and extreme weather events. Future research should explore the long-term stability of climate anxiety and how different forms of exposure to climate change may influence climate anxiety and pro-environment behaviours.

Masculinity, femininity, and support for climate policy

2025-06-16

Tony Silva , Carly Hamdon , Emily Huddart Kennedy | Environmental Sociology

Absorption and Impact on Self-Concept When Reading Climate Fiction

2025-06-16

Cristina Loi , Massimo Lusetti , Moniek M. Kuijpers | Routledge eBooks

Temporal trends of environmental concern and potential influencing factors in the United States and China, 1945–2019

2025-06-16

Xiaobin Lou , Liman Man Wai Li , Kenichi Ito | Asian Journal Of Social Psychology

Abstract Past investigations into the temporal trends of environmental concern (EC) yielded varying results across different time spans and nations, highlighting the need for nation‐specific studies with extended time frames. … Abstract Past investigations into the temporal trends of environmental concern (EC) yielded varying results across different time spans and nations, highlighting the need for nation‐specific studies with extended time frames. Using data from Google Ngram Viewer, this pre‐registered study examined the temporal trends and influencing factors of EC as reflected in books published in the United States and China—the world's two largest greenhouse gas emitters—between 1945 and 2019. The findings revealed distinct patterns between the two countries. In the United States, EC rose sharply in the 1960s, peaked in the 1990s, and declined steeply thereafter, with local environmental problems emerging as the most stable predictor of this trend. In contrast, in China, EC has steadily increased since the 1980s, potentially driven by both local and global environmental problems as well as post‐materialist values. These findings highlight that while EC trends and their potential determinants share commonalities across nations, they also exhibit unique characteristics. This underscores the importance of considering each society's distinct socio‐historical context when examining the evolution of EC.