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The Influence of Climate Change Efficacy Messages and Efficacy Beliefs on Intended Political Participation

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  • P Sol Hart
  • Lauren Feldman

Abstract

Using an online survey experiment with a national sample, this study examined how changing the type and valence of efficacy information in news stories discussing global climate change may impact intended political participation through the mediators of perceived internal, external, and response efficacy. Overall, the results revealed that after a single exposure to a news story, stories including positive internal efficacy content increased perceived internal efficacy, while stories including negative external efficacy content lowered perceived external efficacy. There were limited impacts of other types of efficacy content on perceived efficacy. Perceived internal, external, and response efficacy all offered unique, positive associations with intentions to engage in climate change-related political participation. The results suggest that news stories including positive internal efficacy information in particular have the potential to increase public engagement around climate change. The implications for science communication are discussed.

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  • P Sol Hart & Lauren Feldman, 2016. "The Influence of Climate Change Efficacy Messages and Efficacy Beliefs on Intended Political Participation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(8), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0157658
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157658
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sandra Ricart & Jorge Olcina & Antonio M. Rico, 2018. "Evaluating Public Attitudes and Farmers’ Beliefs towards Climate Change Adaptation: Awareness, Perception, and Populism at European Level," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-24, December.
    2. Marijn H. C. Meijers & Christin Scholz & Ragnheiður “Heather” Torfadóttir & Anke Wonneberger & Marko Markov, 2022. "Learning from the COVID-19 pandemic to combat climate change: comparing drivers of individual action in global crises," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 12(2), pages 272-282, June.
    3. Zijian Harrison Gong & Haoran Chu, 2022. "Seeing Risks or Solutions: Psychological Distance and Ecological Worldview Moderated the Effect of Disgust Images on Attention to Environmental Messages," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, June.
    4. Chris Neale & Maura M. K. Austin & Jenny Roe & Benjamin A. Converse, 2023. "Making people aware of eco-innovations can decrease climate despair," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(12), pages 1-21, December.
    5. Helena Bilandzic & Susanne Kinnebrock & Magdalena Klingler, 2020. "The Emotional Effects of Science Narratives: A Theoretical Framework," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(1), pages 151-163.
    6. N. Badullovich & J. Kotcher & T. A. Myers & S. A. Rosenthal & A. Leiserowitz & E. Maibach, 2025. "Understanding six “key truths” about climate change predicts policy support, discussion, and political advocacy," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 178(5), pages 1-23, May.
    7. Peter Dirksmeier & Leonie Tuitjer, 2023. "Do trust and renewable energy use enhance perceived climate change efficacy in Europe?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(8), pages 8753-8776, August.
    8. Zobeidi, Tahereh & Komendantova, Nadejda & Yazdanpanah, Masoud, 2022. "Social media as a driver of the use of renewable energy: The perceptions of instagram users in Iran," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    9. Allison Joy Bailey & Caitlin M. Wills & Jamie Mitchem, 2022. "Attitudes towards climate change and scientific stories," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 12(4), pages 714-726, December.
    10. Seol A. Kwon, 2022. "Where Does an Individual’s Willingness to Act on Alleviating the Climate Crisis in Korea Arise from?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-17, May.

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