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Collective responsibility amplifies mitigation behaviors

Author

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  • Nick Obradovich

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Scott M. Guenther

    (University of California, San Diego)

Abstract

How can individuals be convinced to act on climate change? It is widely assumed that emphasizing personal responsibility for climate change is effective at increasing pro-climate behavior whereas collectively framing the causes of climate change diffuses responsibility and dampens the incentive for individual action. We observe the opposite result. Here we find, across three experiments, that emphasizing collective responsibility for the causes of climate change increases pro-climate monetary donations by approximately 7 % in environmental group members and by 50 % in the general public. Further, highlighting collective responsibility amplifies intent to reduce future carbon emissions. In contrast, focusing on personal responsibility for climate change does not significantly alter donations to climate change advocacy or the intent for future pro-climate behavior. These effects replicate and persist multiple days after treatment.

Suggested Citation

  • Nick Obradovich & Scott M. Guenther, 2016. "Collective responsibility amplifies mitigation behaviors," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 137(1), pages 307-319, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:137:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1007_s10584-016-1670-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-016-1670-9
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    Cited by:

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    2. Adelle Thomas & Lisa Benjamin, 2018. "Perceptions of climate change risk in The Bahamas," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 8(1), pages 63-72, March.
    3. Nicole H. O’Donnell & Jeanine P. D. Guidry, 2022. "Beyond Personal Responsibility: Analyzing How Attributing Responsibility for Environmental Protection Can Hinder Action," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-15, October.
    4. Joseph P. Lavallee & Bruno Giusto & Tai-Yi Yu, 2019. "Collective responsibility framing also leads to mitigation behavior in East Asia: a replication study in Taiwan," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 153(3), pages 423-438, April.
    5. Nick Obradovich, 2017. "Climate change may speed democratic turnover," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 140(2), pages 135-147, January.
    6. Jackie Parker & Greg D Simpson & Jonathon Edward Miller, 2020. "Nature-Based Solutions Forming Urban Intervention Approaches to Anthropogenic Climate Change: A Quantitative Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-18, September.
    7. D. Liliana González-Hernández & Erik W. Meijles & Frank Vanclay, 2019. "Household Barriers to Climate Change Action: Perspectives from Nuevo Leon, Mexico," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-14, August.

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