The research shows that despite the near universal scientific consensus (97 percent of science papers show that human created climate change is happening), populations are more widely divided when it comes to views about climate change. Such divisions often follow political lines. The researchers were keen to understand why the schism exists and what social factors support it. The research looks at U.S. citizens only.
According to Professor James Druckman, who has led the recent study: “We were interested in understanding the clear political divide in the U.S. on climate change beliefs and related policies and behaviors.”
He wishes to understand why it is commonly thought that almost all Democrats believe in human-induced climate change, and also support remediation actions to address climate change; and, in contrast, why it is assumed that most Republicans remain skeptical.”
The research looks at what is often presented as the key reason for the divide, which has been said to be due to directional “motivated reasoning.” This means individuals skeptical about climate change will invariably reject ostensibly credible scientific information since it contradicts their established beliefs.
This social construct, it is stood, would represents a considerable barrier in that no amount of facts can shift the opinions held by those who deny climate change. However, what the researchers found instead was there was no solid evidence for the a “motivated reasoning.”
Instead there are other factors in play, linked to communication, that explain why some people do not believe in human-driven climate change. For instance, Republicans who do not agree with climate change may do so because they are less trustworthy of science in general.
The implications of this means adopting alternate types of evidence and messaging of the sort that appeals to values or religious persuasion.
The research also challenges the generalization that all Republicans are against climate change. This is not just the way the views of Republicans are presented in the media, for even Republicans underestimate the actual number of other Republicans that believe in climate change. Current data suggests that around 57 percent of Republicans believe there is climate change (although the proportion is lower as to the cause and the level of human involvement).
The research has been published in the journal Nature Climate Change. The paper is titled “The evidence for motivated reasoning in climate change preference formation.”
