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Children can foster climate change concern among their parents

Author

Listed:
  • Danielle F. Lawson

    (North Carolina State University)

  • Kathryn T. Stevenson

    (North Carolina State University)

  • M. Nils Peterson

    (North Carolina State University, Turner House)

  • Sarah J. Carrier

    (North Carolina State University)

  • Renee L. Strnad

    (North Carolina State University)

  • Erin Seekamp

    (North Carolina State University)

Abstract

The collective action that is required to mitigate and adapt to climate change is extremely difficult to achieve, largely due to socio-ideological biases that perpetuate polarization over climate change1,2. Because climate change perceptions in children seem less susceptible to the influence of worldview or political context3, it may be possible for them to inspire adults towards higher levels of climate concern, and in turn, collective action4. Child-to-parent intergenerational learning—that is, the transfer of knowledge, attitudes or behaviours from children to parents5—may be a promising pathway to overcoming socio-ideological barriers to climate concern5. Here we present an experimental evaluation of an educational intervention designed to build climate change concern among parents indirectly through their middle school-aged children in North Carolina, USA. Parents of children in the treatment group expressed higher levels of climate change concern than parents in the control group. The effects were strongest among male parents and conservative parents, who, consistent with previous research1, displayed the lowest levels of climate concern before the intervention. Daughters appeared to be especially effective in influencing parents. Our results suggest that intergenerational learning may overcome barriers to building climate concern.

Suggested Citation

  • Danielle F. Lawson & Kathryn T. Stevenson & M. Nils Peterson & Sarah J. Carrier & Renee L. Strnad & Erin Seekamp, 2019. "Children can foster climate change concern among their parents," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(6), pages 458-462, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:9:y:2019:i:6:d:10.1038_s41558-019-0463-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-019-0463-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Nathaniel Geiger & Bryan McLaughlin & John Velez, 2021. "Not all boomers: temporal orientation explains inter- and intra-cultural variability in the link between age and climate engagement," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 166(1), pages 1-20, May.
    2. Enzo Ferrari & Anne-Marie Ballegeer & Diego Corrochano & Miguel Ángel Fuertes & Pablo Herrero Teijón & María Laura Delgado Martín & Santiago Andrés Sánchez & Camilo Ruiz, 2024. "Improvement of attitudes and skills using a MOOC about the basic science of climate change," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Bruce Tranter, 2021. "Climate Change Knowledge and Political Identity in Australia," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, July.
    4. Steffen Peters & Erich Striessnig & Maria Rita Testa & Alessandra Trimarchi & Natalie Nitsche, 2023. "Too worried about the environment to have children? Or more worried about the environment after having children? The reciprocal relationship between environmental concerns and fertility," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2023-023, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    5. Sandra Parth & Maximilian Schickl & Lars Keller & Johann Stoetter, 2020. "Quality Child–Parent Relationships and Their Impact on Intergenerational Learning and Multiplier Effects in Climate Change Education. Are We Bridging the Knowledge–Action Gap?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-16, August.
    6. Homroy, Swarnodeep, 2023. "GHG emissions and firm performance: The role of CEO gender socialization," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    7. A. Lee Hannah & Danielle Christine Rhubart, 2020. "Teacher perceptions of state standards and climate change pedagogy: opportunities and barriers for implementing consensus-informed instruction on climate change," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 377-392, February.
    8. Carlie D. Trott, 2021. "Youth-Led Climate Change Action: Multi-Level Effects on Children, Families, and Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-20, November.
    9. Lindgren, Samantha, 2024. "Sociocultural determinants of electric cooking in rural Namibia: Recommendations for youth and educational approaches to implementation strategy and policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    10. Li-San Hung & Chongming Wang, 2022. "Decision-making process related to climate change mitigation among married-couple households: A case study of Taiwan," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 27(8), pages 1-18, December.
    11. Dardanoni, Valentino & Guerriero, Carla, 2021. "Young people' s willingness to pay for environmental protection," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    12. Marius BOTTIN & Ana Beatriz PIZARRO & Sara CADAVID & Luisa RAMIREZ & Sergio BARBOSA & Juan Gabriel OCAMPO-PALACIO & Benjamin QUESADA, 2023. "Worldwide effects of climate change education on the cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors of schoolchildren and their entourage. A systematic review," Working Paper 31da0f76-4d0c-4c12-9484-f, Agence française de développement.
    13. Lisa Richter-Beuschel & Susanne Bögeholz, 2019. "Student Teachers’ Knowledge to Enable Problem-Solving for Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-24, December.
    14. Thomas, Melanee & DeCillia, Brooks & Santos, John B. & Thorlakson, Lori, 2022. "Great expectations: Public opinion about energy transition," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    15. Sydney Barnason & Christine Jie Li & Damon M. Hall & Sonja A. Wilhelm Stanis & John H. Schulz, 2022. "Environmental Action Programs Using Positive Youth Development May Increase Civic Engagement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-9, June.
    16. Florian Hanke & Jens Lowitzsch, 2020. "Empowering Vulnerable Consumers to Join Renewable Energy Communities—Towards an Inclusive Design of the Clean Energy Package," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-27, April.
    17. F. Ziesemer & A. Hüttel & I. Balderjahn, 2021. "Young People as Drivers or Inhibitors of the Sustainability Movement: The Case of Anti-Consumption," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 427-453, September.
    18. Rotaris, Lucia & Del Missier, Fabio & Scorrano, Mariangela, 2023. "Comparing children and parental preferences for active commuting to school. A focus on Italian middle-school students," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    19. Fabrice Hervé & Sylvain Marsat, 2024. "Like daughter, like father: Female socialization and green equity investment," Post-Print hal-04717594, HAL.
    20. Claes, Ek & Söderberg, Magnus & Kataria, Mitesh, 2024. "Can teaching children about the environment influence household behavior? Experiments in Swedish schools," Working Papers in Economics 848, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics, revised 14 Nov 2024.

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