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A new, valid measure of climate change understanding: associations with risk perception

Author

Listed:
  • Julie C. Libarkin

    (Michigan State University)

  • Anne U. Gold

    (University of Colorado-Boulder)

  • Sara E. Harris

    (University of British Columbia)

  • Karen S. McNeal

    (Auburn University)

  • Ryan P. Bowles

    (Michigan State University)

Abstract

The relationship between climate change understanding and other variables, including risk perception, beliefs, and worldviews, is an important consideration as we work to increase public attention to climate change. Despite significant effort to develop rigorous mechanisms for measuring affective variables, measurement of climate change understanding is often relegated to unvalidated questions or question sets. To remedy this situation, we constructed and analyzed a climate change concept inventory using a suite of validity and reliability steps, including Rasch analysis. The resultant 21-item test has a high degree of validity and reliability for measuring understanding about basic climate change processes. Inventory scores along with other variables were included in a model of climate change risk perception, providing both concurrent validity for the test and new insight into the importance of understanding, worldview, and values on risk perception. We find that environmental beliefs and cultural cognition worldview play a larger role in predicting an individual’s risk perception than knowledge. Implications for addressing climate change are considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Julie C. Libarkin & Anne U. Gold & Sara E. Harris & Karen S. McNeal & Ryan P. Bowles, 2018. "A new, valid measure of climate change understanding: associations with risk perception," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 403-416, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:150:y:2018:i:3:d:10.1007_s10584-018-2279-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-018-2279-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Myoungsoon You & Youngkee Ju, 2020. "The Outrage Effect of Personal Stake, Familiarity, Effects on Children, and Fairness on Climate Change Risk Perception Moderated by Political Orientation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-14, September.
    3. A. L. Morrison & S. Rozak & A. U. Gold & J. E. Kay, 2020. "Quantifying student engagement in learning about climate change using galvanic hand sensors in a controlled educational setting," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 159(1), pages 17-36, March.
    4. Roman Asshoff & Christiane Konnemann & Nadine Tramowsky & Werner Rieß, 2021. "Applying the Global Change App in Different Instruction Settings to Foster Climate Change Knowledge among Student Teachers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-26, August.
    5. Anna-Kathryn Leve & Hanno Michel & Ute Harms, 2023. "Implementing climate literacy in schools — what to teach our teachers?," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(10), pages 1-17, October.
    6. Olugbemi Mosunmola Aroke & Behzad Esmaeili & Sojung Claire Kim, 2021. "Impact of Climate Change on Transportation Infrastructure: Comparing Perception Differences between the US Public and the Department of Transportation (DOT) Professionals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-19, October.
    7. Nur Sabrina Mohamed Ali Khan & Mageswary Karpudewan & Nagaletchimee Annamalai, 2020. "Moving Beyond the One-Size-Fits-All Model in Describing the Climate Conserving Behaviors of Malaysian Secondary Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-20, December.
    8. Nurit Carmi & Iris Alkaher, 2019. "Risk Literacy and Environmental Education: Does Exposure to Academic Environmental Education Make a Difference in How Students Perceive Ecological Risks and Evaluate Their Risk Severity?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-19, November.
    9. Lisette Beek & Manjana Milkoreit & Linda Prokopy & Jason B. Reed & Joost Vervoort & Arjan Wardekker & Roberta Weiner, 2022. "The effects of serious gaming on risk perceptions of climate tipping points," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 170(3), pages 1-23, February.
    10. Donatella Baiardi, 2021. "What do you think about climate change?," Working Paper series 21-16, Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis.
    11. Donatella Baiardi, 2021. "What do you think about climate change?," Working Papers 477, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics, revised Aug 2021.

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