Risk perceptions, moral attitudes, and anticipated guilt in US consumers’ climate change behavioral intentions

Various reports and research have documented the risks of global warming on humans and the non-human environment. A growing amount of media coverage positions the fight against global warming as a moral issue. However, additional research needs to be conducted regarding whether individuals’ risk perceptions are related to their moral attitudes and whether their moral attitudes toward global warming are associated with their behavioral intentions to alleviate global warming. Based on a cross-sectional survey (N = 572) and structural equation modeling analysis, the present investigation situated moral attitudes within a larger theoretical framework (i.e. the theory of planned behavior). Results found that the American public’s moral attitudes were predicted by subjective norms and risk to others and the environment, but not risk to themselves. Moral attitudes, in turn, predicted anticipated guilt. Collectively, moral attitudes, self-efficacy, anticipated guilt, and consideration of future consequences predicted one’s intentions to engage in behaviors to alleviate global warming. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed.