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Illuminating the link between perceived threat and control over climate change: the role of attributions for causation and mitigation

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  • Julie Davydova

    (Cornell University)

  • Adam R. Pearson

    (Pomona College
    Claremont Graduate University)

  • Matthew T. Ballew

    (Claremont Graduate University)

  • Jonathon P. Schuldt

    (Cornell University)

Abstract

Perceiving greater threat from climate change has been shown to positively affect beliefs about humanity’s ability to mitigate the threat. We examined two possible mediators of this paradoxical relationship utilizing data from a large socioeconomically diverse sample of the US adults (n = 1040) collected in 2015. Specifically, we predicted that attributing responsibility for either causing or mitigating climate change to government entities would bolster perceived collective control for addressing the problem. Results of structural equation modeling suggest that both types of attributions mediate the relationship between perceived threat and control over climate change, with the full model accounting for 57% of the variance in perceived collective control. Moreover, for the overall sample, attributions of responsibility for mitigating climate change emerged as a stronger mediator of perceived control than did causal attributions and as the only significant mediator among Republicans. We consider implications of these findings for understanding the role of attribution processes in public engagement on climate change and the effective communication of environmental risks.

Suggested Citation

  • Julie Davydova & Adam R. Pearson & Matthew T. Ballew & Jonathon P. Schuldt, 2018. "Illuminating the link between perceived threat and control over climate change: the role of attributions for causation and mitigation," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 148(1), pages 45-59, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:148:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1007_s10584-018-2181-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-018-2181-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Matthew J. Hornsey & Emily A. Harris & Paul G. Bain & Kelly S. Fielding, 2016. "Meta-analyses of the determinants and outcomes of belief in climate change," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(6), pages 622-626, June.
    2. Connie Roser-Renouf & Edward Maibach & Anthony Leiserowitz & Xiaoquan Zhao, 2014. "The genesis of climate change activism: from key beliefs to political action," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 125(2), pages 163-178, July.
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    2. Haoran Chu & Janet Z. Yang, 2020. "Risk or Efficacy? How Psychological Distance Influences Climate Change Engagement," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(4), pages 758-770, April.

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