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Parenthood and Worrying About Climate Change: The Limitations of Previous Approaches

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  • Sara Ekholm
  • Anna Olofsson

Abstract

The present study considers the correlation between parenthood and worry about the consequences of climate change. Two approaches to gauging people's perceptions of the risks of climate change are compared: the classic approach, which measures risk perception, and the emotion‐based approach, which measures feelings toward a risk object. The empirical material is based on a questionnaire‐based survey of 3,529 people in Sweden, of whom 1,376 answered, giving a response rate of 39%. The results show that the correlation of parenthood and climate risk is significant when the emotional aspect is raised, but not when respondents were asked to do cognitive estimates of risk. Parenthood proves significant in all three questions that measure feelings, demonstrating that it is a determinant that serves to increase worry about climate change.

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  • Sara Ekholm & Anna Olofsson, 2017. "Parenthood and Worrying About Climate Change: The Limitations of Previous Approaches," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(2), pages 305-314, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:riskan:v:37:y:2017:i:2:p:305-314
    DOI: 10.1111/risa.12626
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    Cited by:

    1. Catriona Soutar & Anne P. F. Wand, 2022. "Understanding the Spectrum of Anxiety Responses to Climate Change: A Systematic Review of the Qualitative Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-23, January.
    2. Gonzalo Palomo-Vélez & Jacek Buczny & Mark Van Vugt, 2020. "Encouraging Pro-Environmental Behaviors Through Children-Based Appeals: A Kin Selection Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-25, January.
    3. Fernando Mata & Meirielly Santos Jesus & Concha Cano-Díaz & Maria Dos-Santos, 2023. "European Citizens’ Worries and Self-Responsibility towards Climate Change," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-13, April.

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