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Comparing the atmosphere to a bathtub: effectiveness of analogy for reasoning about accumulation

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  • Sophie Guy
  • Yoshihisa Kashima
  • Iain Walker
  • Saffron O’Neill

Abstract

Understanding the process of accumulation is fundamental to recognising the magnitude and speed of emissions reduction required to stabilise atmospheric CO 2 and, hence, global temperature. This research investigated the effectiveness of analogy for building understanding of accumulation among non-experts. Two studies tested the effects of analogy and graphical information on: (1) performance on a CO 2 stabilisation task; and (2) preferred level of action on climate change. Study 1 was conducted with a sample of undergraduate students and Study 2, with a sample of the Australian public. In the student sample, analogical processing significantly improved task performance when information about emission rates was presented in text but not when it was presented in graph format. It was also associated with greater preference for strong action on climate change. When tested with the public, analogy and information format independently influenced task performance. Furthermore, there was a marginal effect of education such that the analogy especially might have helped those with at least high school attainment. Our results show that analogy can improve non-experts’ understanding of CO 2 accumulation but that using graphs to convey emissions rate information is detrimental to such improvements. The results should be of interest to climate change communicators, advocates, and policy-makers. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Sophie Guy & Yoshihisa Kashima & Iain Walker & Saffron O’Neill, 2013. "Comparing the atmosphere to a bathtub: effectiveness of analogy for reasoning about accumulation," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 121(4), pages 579-594, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:121:y:2013:i:4:p:579-594
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-013-0949-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Arthur Kary & Guy E. Hawkins & Brett K. Hayes & Ben R. Newell, 2017. "A Bayesian latent mixture model approach to assessing performance in stock-flow reasoning," Judgment and Decision Making, Society for Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 12(5), pages 430-444, September.
    3. Rosalind Pidcock & Kate Heath & Lydia Messling & Susie Wang & Anna Pirani & Sarah Connors & Adam Corner & Christopher Shaw & Melissa Gomis, 2021. "Evaluating effective public engagement: local stories from a global network of IPCC scientists," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 168(3), pages 1-22, October.
    4. Alan Kabanshi, 2020. "Are We Overestimating the Benefits of Emission Reduction Measures?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-9, January.
    5. Erik O. Sterner & Tom Adawi & U. Martin Persson & Ulrika Lundqvist, 2019. "Knowing how and knowing when: unpacking public understanding of atmospheric CO2 accumulation," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 154(1), pages 49-67, May.
    6. David K Sewell & Peter J Rayner & Daniel B Shank & Sophie Guy & Simon D Lilburn & Saam Saber & Yoshihisa Kashima, 2017. "Causal knowledge promotes behavioral self-regulation: An example using climate change dynamics," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(9), pages 1-19, September.
    7. Jenny Rock & Eleanora Gilchrist, 2021. "Creating empathy for the more-than-human under 2 degrees heating," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 11(4), pages 735-743, December.
    8. Sander Linden & Anthony Leiserowitz & Geoffrey Feinberg & Edward Maibach, 2014. "How to communicate the scientific consensus on climate change: plain facts, pie charts or metaphors?," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 126(1), pages 255-262, September.
    9. Yang Li & David K. Sewell & Saam Saber & Daniel B. Shank & Yoshihisa Kashima, 2021. "The climate commons dilemma: how can humanity solve the commons dilemma for the global climate commons?," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 164(1), pages 1-20, January.
    10. repec:cup:judgdm:v:12:y:2017:i:5:p:430-444 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Rosa Hendijani, 2021. "Analytical thinking, Little's Law understanding, and stock‐flow performance: two empirical studies," System Dynamics Review, System Dynamics Society, vol. 37(2-3), pages 99-125, April.
    12. Rachel Dryden & M. Granger Morgan & Ann Bostrom & Wändi Bruine de Bruin, 2018. "Public Perceptions of How Long Air Pollution and Carbon Dioxide Remain in the Atmosphere," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(3), pages 525-534, March.
    13. Jessica E. Boscarino, 2019. "From Three Mile Island to Fukushima: the impact of analogy on attitudes toward nuclear power," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 52(1), pages 21-42, March.

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