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The language of denial: text analysis reveals differences in language use between climate change proponents and skeptics

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  • Srdan Medimorec
  • Gordon Pennycook

Abstract

We used text analyzers to compare the language used in two recently published reports on the physical science of climate change: one authored by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the other by the Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC; a group of prominent skeptics, typically with prior scientific training, organized by the Heartland Institute). Although both reports represent summaries of empirical research within the same scientific discipline, our language analyses revealed consistent and substantial differences between them. Most notably, the IPCC authors used more cautious (as opposed to certain) language than the NIPCC authors. This finding (among others) indicates that, contrary to that which is commonly claimed by skeptics, IPCC authors were actually more conservative in terms of language style than their NIPCC counterparts. The political controversy over climate change may cause proponents’ language to be conservative (for fear of being attacked) and opponents’ language to be aggressive (to more effectively attack). This has clear implications for the science communication of climate research. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Srdan Medimorec & Gordon Pennycook, 2015. "The language of denial: text analysis reveals differences in language use between climate change proponents and skeptics," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 133(4), pages 597-605, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:133:y:2015:i:4:p:597-605
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-015-1475-2
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    1. Aaron McCright & Riley Dunlap & Chenyang Xiao, 2013. "Perceived scientific agreement and support for government action on climate change in the USA," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 119(2), pages 511-518, July.
    2. Sander L van der Linden & Anthony A Leiserowitz & Geoffrey D Feinberg & Edward W Maibach, 2015. "The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change as a Gateway Belief: Experimental Evidence," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(2), pages 1-8, February.
    3. Naomi Oreskes & Erik M. Conway, 2010. "Defeating the merchants of doubt," Nature, Nature, vol. 465(7299), pages 686-687, June.
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    1. Ferenc Jankó & Judit Papp Vancsó & Norbert Móricz, 2017. "Is climate change controversy good for science? IPCC and contrarian reports in the light of bibliometrics," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 112(3), pages 1745-1759, September.
    2. Jeremiah Bohr, 2017. "Is it hot in here or is it just me? Temperature anomalies and political polarization over global warming in the American public," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 142(1), pages 271-285, May.
    3. Faye Holder & Sanober Mirza & Namson-Ngo-Lee & Jake Carbone & Ruth E. McKie, 2023. "Climate obstruction and Facebook advertising: how a sample of climate obstruction organizations use social media to disseminate discourses of delay," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(2), pages 1-21, February.
    4. Hannah Schmid-Petri, 2017. "Politicization of science: how climate change skeptics use experts and scientific evidence in their online communication," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 145(3), pages 523-537, December.
    5. Ferenc Jankó & Áron Drüszler & Borbála Gálos & Norbert Móricz & Judit Papp-Vancsó & Ildikó Pieczka & Rita Pongrácz & Ervin Rasztovits & Zsuzsanna Soósné Dezső & Orsolya Szabó, 2020. "Sources of doubt: actors, forums, and language of climate change skepticism," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 124(3), pages 2251-2277, September.
    6. Drieschova, Alena, 2021. "The social media revolution and shifts in the climate change discourse," Global Cooperation Research Papers 29, University of Duisburg-Essen, Käte Hamburger Kolleg / Centre for Global Cooperation Research (KHK/GCR21).

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