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. 2014 May;34(5):937-48.
doi: 10.1111/risa.12140. Epub 2013 Nov 12.

The role of emotion in global warming policy support and opposition

Nicholas Smith  1 , Anthony Leiserowitz
Affiliations
Free PMC article

The role of emotion in global warming policy support and opposition

Nicholas Smith et al. Risk Anal. 2014 May.
Free PMC article

Abstract

Prior research has found that affect and affective imagery strongly influence public support for global warming. This article extends this literature by exploring the separate influence of discrete emotions. Utilizing a nationally representative survey in the United States, this study found that discrete emotions were stronger predictors of global warming policy support than cultural worldviews, negative affect, image associations, or sociodemographic variables. In particular, worry, interest, and hope were strongly associated with increased policy support. The results contribute to experiential theories of risk information processing and suggest that discrete emotions play a significant role in public support for climate change policy. Implications for climate change communication are also discussed.

Keywords: Emotion; global warming; policy preferences.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Support for policy option.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Emotions felt very or moderately in relation to global warming.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

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