How Distant is Climate Change? Construal Level Theory Analysis of German and Taiwanese Students Statements

Abstract

Article HistoryThe usefulness of Construal Level Theory to understand how people mentally represent climate change has been recognized by a number of authors in recent years. Yet, empirical studies that analyse both psychological distance and construal levels of climate change are still rare. We fill this gap by investigating the perceived geographical, temporal and social dimensions of climate change and by analyzing the construal levels employed by the participants of our research. Participants comprise two groups of university students (in Taiwan and in Germany) that carried out a 10 Statements Test on climate change. Results suggest that climate change is still perceived as distant. Nevertheless, we identified differences between the two groups in the construal levels employed. We reflect on the role of culture in the choice of different construal, on the potentials of Construal Level Theory to systematically analyse individuals´ understandings of climate change and we illustrate the implications of our results for future climate communication strategies. Contribution/ Originality:This study is one of very few studies which have investigated cultural differences in construal levels and psychological distances of climate change. To do so, it provides in depth empirical analysis of climate change perception based on Construal Level Theory.

Citizen Environmental Behavior From the Perspective of Psychological Distance Based on a Visual Analysis of Bibliometrics and Scientific Knowledge Mapping

“…Second, although climate change has many adverse effects on humans, most of its effects will only materialize in the future, which makes it a temporary remote issue (Marx et al, 2007;Gifford, 2011). The remote and abstract characteristics of climate change are embedded in public perceptions that climate change is more relevant in the future than in the present (Leviston et al, 2014;Hanson-Easey et al, 2015;De Guttry et al, 2017). Many scholars have conducted research on how to guide individuals to engage in environmental behavior from the perspectives of environmental significance (Stern, 2000), environmental responsibility (Hines et al, 1987), and pro-environmental behavior (Lee et al, 2020) in order to achieve sustainable development.…”

A systematic review of the psychological distance of climate change: Towards the development of an evidence-based construct

“…Two studies analysed participants' free-form writing when asked to produce 10 statements about climate change (de Guttry et al, 2017) or, in a study with children, to pose questions about climate change to an expert panel (K. Lee & Barnett, 2020). In both studies, PD was a prevalent concept that was voluntarily mentioned, with many participants feeling very distant from climate change.…”

“…A. Keller et al to most often, followed by temporal and social distance (de Guttry et al, 2017). The children's questions emphasised how interlinked the dimensions were (K. Lee & Barnett, 2020), with temporally current climate-change impacts being seen as spatially further away than future impacts.…”

Personal experience with Covid-19 is associated with increased environmental concern and pro-environmental behavioral intentions

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