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Environmental knowledge is inversely associated with climate change anxiety

Author

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  • Hannes Zacher

    (Leipzig University)

  • Cort W. Rudolph

    (Wayne State University)

Abstract

This study tests the hypotheses that overall environmental knowledge and climate-specific knowledge are inversely related to climate change anxiety, such that people who know more (less) about the environment in general, and about climate in particular, are less (more) anxious about climate change. Time lagged data were collected from N = 2,066 individuals in Germany. Results showed that, even after controlling for demographic characteristics, personality characteristics, and environmental attitudes, overall environmental knowledge and climate-specific knowledge were negatively related to climate change anxiety (both B = -.09, p

Suggested Citation

  • Hannes Zacher & Cort W. Rudolph, 2023. "Environmental knowledge is inversely associated with climate change anxiety," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(4), pages 1-9, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:176:y:2023:i:4:d:10.1007_s10584-023-03518-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-023-03518-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Marlis C. Wullenkord & Josephine Tröger & Karen R. S. Hamann & Laura S. Loy & Gerhard Reese, 2021. "Anxiety and climate change: a validation of the Climate Anxiety Scale in a German-speaking quota sample and an investigation of psychological correlates," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 168(3), pages 1-23, October.
    2. Panu Pihkala, 2020. "Eco-Anxiety and Environmental Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-38, December.
    3. Tara J. Crandon & James G. Scott & Fiona J. Charlson & Hannah J. Thomas, 2022. "A social–ecological perspective on climate anxiety in children and adolescents," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 12(2), pages 123-131, February.
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