Public Engagement on Climate Change: Lit Review
Review of Public engagement with climate change: the role of human values
WIREs Clim Change 2014, 5:411–422. doi: 10.1002/wcc.269
Adam Corner, Ezra Markowitz, and Nick Pidgeon
→ Reviewed by Matthew Eshed for mceshed.com, et al, the universe, beyond←
In summary, this paper empirically states that self-transcendent and altruistic values are congruent with positive engagement on climate change, and self-enhancing values are less congruent with sustained, long-term engagement.
In my opinion, the most powerful narrative stated in the paper, resonant for nearly all groups, is the following: the “protection of nature, fairness and respect for the autonomy of individuals, and a positive contribution to future well-being as well as efficiency, the avoidance of waste, and long term thinking.”
“Universal” human values in the context of climate change are described as falling along two dimensions:
openness to change (including self-direction & stimulation) vs. desire to conserve/respect tradition (including security & conformity);
self- transcendence (including altruism, forgiveness, loyalty) vs. self-enhancement (including power, ambition, hedonism)
Additional frameworks include a definition of “altruistic and biospheric values….broadly equivalent to Schwartz’s self-transcendent and conservation groupings, while egoistic values appear to fit within the self-enhancement cluster.”
As well as “‘hierarchy- egalitarianism’ ... a cultural preference for an equitable division of resources (i.e. irrespective of gender, race or religion),” and “‘individualism- communitarianism’ ... whether individual interests should be subordinated to collective ones.”
Notably, although social marketing and economically-based approaches are “potentially effective for producing small scale, piecemeal and short-term behavioral changes,” they “undermine the ‘common cause’ on which all campaigns on ‘bigger than self’ issues like climate change ultimately depend, namely, the activation of self-transcendent values…”
Additionally, we are cautioned that “focusing on self-enhancing values will make behavioral ‘spillover’—that is, the transference of positive engagement with climate change from one behavior to another—less likely (because the original behavior was only performed for economic gain, not out of environmental concern)…”
Within these frameworks, it is described that “Although people possess a range of different and sometimes conflicting values, those who identify strongly with self-enhancing values (e.g. materialism, personal ambition) tend not to identify strongly with self-transcending values (e.g. benevolence, respect for the environment).” And that “willingness to accept policy measures was positively related to self-transcendent values.”
Optimistically, Dietz et al found that there is a “relationship between the endorsement of certain traditional values (such as honoring one’s parents, or showing respect) and willingness to support climate change policies.”
In addition, “those who more strongly endorse self-enhancement values have come to view action on climate change as an (implicit) attack on their values, and something that should only be pursued if it is in their individual self-interest.” Unsurprisingly, “individualistic and hierarchical individuals tended to be more supportive of climate policies that maintained the autonomy of the free market.”
Regarding climate communications, we are advised to be aware of “the ‘interpretative’ effects of values on climate engagement: the values we hold influence how we interpret the information we are exposed to about climate change in ways that lead us to either accept or reject the need for greater engagement and action.” Despite the popular saying, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, we can be assured that although “values are relatively stable across the adult lifespan … more deliberative processes may engage and even alter values over time,” and thus, the “filters on the interpretation of the information” can change, and new tricks indeed develop.
Additionally relieving is that "very few individuals hold only one set of values entirely at the expense of the other—and even individuals who score highly on measures of materialism have been shown to identify with and be receptive to messages framed using self-transcendent values.” It is suggested that climate communications can focus on “activation of self-transcendent values.”
In addition to, and reinforcing the items bolded at the start of this Review, the paper suggests a focus on public health, as well as “community well-being, intergenerational duty and a representation of the environment not as a ‘service provider’ but as something that people have a duty to protect.”
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I hope you enjoyed this lit review. Please note that my environmental management graduate studies are currently unfunded and I am seeking support from my friends and family to help me survive and thrive financially. See my post about it here: https://www.mceshed.com/blog/seeking-grad-school-scholarship-funded-by-you