The role of emotion in global warming policy support and opposition.
Prior research has found that affect and affective imagery strongly influence public support for global warming. This article extends this literature by exploring the separate influence of discrete emotions. Utilizing a nationally representative survey in the United States, this study found that discrete emotions were stronger predictors of global warming policy support than cultural worldviews, negative affect, image associations, or sociodemographic variables. In particular, worry, interest, and hope were strongly associated with increased policy support. The results contribute to experiential theories of risk information processing and suggest that discrete emotions play a significant role in public support for climate change policy. Implications for climate change communication are also discussed.
Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, WC1H 0AP, UK.
Nicholas
N
Smith
Anthony
A
Leiserowitz
D004644:Emotions; D057232:Global Warming; D006801:Humans; D011640:Public Policy
Emotion; global warming; policy preferences