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Public Understanding of Climate Change as a Social Dilemma

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  • Stuart Bryce Capstick

    (Understanding Risk Group/ Climate Change Consortium of Wales/ Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK)

Abstract

Climate change is often referred to as one of the most complicated challenges facing humanity, characterised in various literatures as a social dilemma operating at multiple scales (individual, national, international). The present study considers the ways in which members of the public interpret climate change in these terms, drawing on data from multiple datasets, both qualitative and quantitative, from 1997 to 2011. As well as drawing out the nuances in participants’ perspectives on the social and societal dilemmas inherent to climate change, the present study also highlights the rejoinders and resolutions proposed by people to these dilemmas. It is suggested that recognition of the ways people find to navigate these difficult issues offers some cause for optimism regarding the public’s conceptualisation of, and response to, climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Stuart Bryce Capstick, 2013. "Public Understanding of Climate Change as a Social Dilemma," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(8), pages 1-18, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:5:y:2013:i:8:p:3484-3501:d:27960
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    4. Joël Berger, 2021. "Social Tipping Interventions Can Promote the Diffusion or Decay of Sustainable Consumption Norms in the Field. Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Intervention Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-13, March.
    5. Arthur Ssebbugga-Kimeze, 2022. "Opting for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in Uganda: a non-cooperative game," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 27(6), pages 1-11, August.
    6. Claudius Gros, 2022. "Generic catastrophic poverty when selfish investors exploit a degradable common resource," Papers 2208.08171, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2023.
    7. Perri B. Druen & Stephanie J. Zawadzki, 2021. "Escaping the Climate Trap: Participation in a Climate-Specific Social Dilemma Simulation Boosts Climate-Protective Motivation and Actions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-27, August.
    8. Doncaster, C. Patrick & Tavoni, Alessandro & Dyke, James G., 2017. "Using Adaptation Insurance to Incentivize Climate-change Mitigation," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 246-258.
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