The “I” in climate: The role of individual responsibility in systematic processing of climate change information |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Department of Environmental Studies, State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry, 108B Marshall Hall, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA;2. Department of Communication, State University of New York at Buffalo, 329 Baldy Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA;3. Department of Communication, University at Albany, State University of New York, 331 Social Science Building, Albany, NY 12222, USA;1. Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Department of Geography, Lab for Landscape Ecology, Rudower Chaussee 16, 12489 Berlin, Germany;2. Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Department of Computational Landscape Ecology, Permoser Straße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany;3. Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Department of Environmental Immunology, Permoser Straße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany;1. Water Resources and Remote Sensing Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea;2. Water Resources and Remote Sensing Laboratory, School of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746, Republic of Korea;1. Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China;2. Climate Economics Chair, Paris-Dauphine University, Paris 75002, France;3. Land Economy and Environment Research Group, Scotland''s Rural College, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, Scotland, UK;4. University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UU, Scotland, UK;5. Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3FL, UK;6. College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China;7. College of Ecology and Environmental Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, Inner Mongolia, China;1. Wondo Genet College of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hawassa University, PO Box 128, Shashemene, Ethiopia;2. Landcare Research, Private Bag 11052, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand;1. School of Public Health, Key Lab of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education, & Key Lab of Health Technology Assessment of the Ministry of Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China;2. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Particle Pollution and Prevention (LAP3), Fudan University, Shanghai, China;3. College of Urban and Environmental Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China;4. School of Geosciences and Info-Physics, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China;5. Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan;6. Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center, Shanghai, China;7. Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States;1. State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi''an 710061 (China);2. State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100 (China);3. Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China) |
| |
| Abstract: | Past research suggests that how we perceive risk can be related to how we attribute responsibility for risk-related issues, such as climate change; however, a gap in research lies in exploring possible connections between attribution of responsibility, risk perception, and information processing. Using the Risk Information Seeking and Processing model, this study fills this gap by examining how RISP-based variables are related to information processing and whether attribution of responsibility for mitigating climate change influences communication behaviors that are often predicted by elevated risk perceptions. Undergraduates at two large research universities (N = 572) were randomly assigned to read one of two newspaper articles that emphasized either individual responsibility (by highlighting personal actions) or societal responsibility (by highlighting government policy) for climate change mitigation. Results indicate that subjects in the individual responsibility condition were significantly more likely to process the message in a systematic manner; however, attribution of responsibility did not interact with risk perception to influence systematic processing. Moreover, attitudes toward climate change information and negative affect mediated the relationship between other key variables and systematic processing. These and other findings suggest that strategic communication about climate change may benefit from emphasizing individual responsibility to attract more attention from diverse audiences and to promote deeper thinking about the issue. Additional theoretical implications are presented. |
| |
| Keywords: | Risk Information Seeking and Processing model Attribution of responsibility Risk perception Information processing Climate change |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
