This report found that while most Americans think climate change is an important issue, they don’t see it as an immediate threat to their lives. (Photo courtesy of the National Cancer Institute)
A new report indicates social circles have
more to do with what people believe about
climate change than the facts gathered by
scientists. Lester Graham reports on
research presented to the American
Psychological Association:
Transcript
A new report indicates social circles have
more to do with what people believe about
climate change than the facts gathered by
scientists. Lester Graham reports on
research presented to the American
Psychological Association:
This report found that while most Americans think climate change is an important issue, they don’t see it as an immediate threat to their lives.
Janet Swim with Pennsylvania State Univerity chaired the task force looking into the issue. She reported to the American Psychological Association that getting people to go green will mean getting past psychological barriers.
For example, a politician might cite scientific facts regarding climate change, but that politician’s party affiliation might be more important to people than the scientific facts.
“Party lines determines to some extent people’s beliefs about climate change. And so, when somebody’s not in your party in the government, telling you something about climate change, you’re already starting with a sense of distrust.”
So Swim says policymakers need to recognize getting people to change their behavior will take more than just science and facts.
For The Environment Report, I’m Lester Graham.