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Believing in or Denying Climate Change for Questionable Reasons: Generic Conspiracist Beliefs, Personality, and Climate Change Perceptions of Romanian University Students

Author

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  • Ștefan Boncu

    (Psychology Department, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Science, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, 700506 Iași, Romania)

  • Oara Prundeanu

    (Psychology Department, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Science, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, 700506 Iași, Romania)

  • Andrei Corneliu Holman

    (Psychology Department, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Science, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, 700506 Iași, Romania)

  • Simona Andreea Popușoi

    (Psychology Department, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Science, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, 700506 Iași, Romania)

Abstract

People’s perceptions of climate change represent a growing concern, especially when these perceptions entail the denial of climate change. Past studies have highlighted the detrimental role of conspiracist beliefs concerning climate change regarding people’s perceptions on this matter. However, the effects of generic conspiracy beliefs and the different types of beliefs determining skepticism about climate change, as well as that of an individual’s personality, are still an open area of inquiry. Our cross-sectional study (N = 842) explored the relationships between the degree to which people hold different generic conspiracy beliefs, their personality characteristics (as defined within the Big Five taxonomy), and climate change beliefs (i.e., in its occurrence and anthropogenic causation). Results indicated common predictors of these dimensions of climate change beliefs, specifically three of the five types of generic conspiracy beliefs, extraversion, agreeability, and intellect/imagination as personality factors. While conspiracy beliefs related to personal well-being emerged as related to climate change skepticism, those in government malfeasance and information control were found to be associated with more acceptance of climate change and its anthropogenic causation. These findings reveal a mixed pattern of relationships between different conspiracist beliefs and climate change perceptions and suggest the complex psychological and ideological underpinnings of the attitudes towards climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Ștefan Boncu & Oara Prundeanu & Andrei Corneliu Holman & Simona Andreea Popușoi, 2022. "Believing in or Denying Climate Change for Questionable Reasons: Generic Conspiracist Beliefs, Personality, and Climate Change Perceptions of Romanian University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:17038-:d:1007495
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Adam M. Enders & Steven M. Smallpage, 2019. "Who Are Conspiracy Theorists? A Comprehensive Approach to Explaining Conspiracy Beliefs," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 100(6), pages 2017-2032, October.
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    3. Tien Ming Lee & Ezra M. Markowitz & Peter D. Howe & Chia-Ying Ko & Anthony A. Leiserowitz, 2015. "Predictors of public climate change awareness and risk perception around the world," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 5(11), pages 1014-1020, November.
    4. Tai-Yi Yu & Tai-Kuei Yu, 2017. "The Moderating Effects of Students’ Personality Traits on Pro-Environmental Behavioral Intentions in Response to Climate Change," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-20, November.
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