Climate Change Consensus Messages Cause Reactance. Issue 1 (2nd January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chinn, Sedona; Hart, P. Sol
• Is Part Of: Environmental communication. Volume 17:Issue 1(2023)
• Page Start: 51
• Page End: 59
• Publication Date: 2023-01-02
• Subjects: Scientific consensus -- reactance -- climate change -- motivated reasoning; Communication in the environmental sciences -- Periodicals; 333.7
• DOI: 10.1080/17524032.2021.1910530
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1752-4032

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Several recent studies have debated whether climate change consensus messages cause reactance, although they sometimes employ different procedures and measurement. This study uses procedures and measures from competing studies to allow for a comparison of the respective approaches. We find that climate change consensus messages cause reactance, particularly among Republicans and those who do not believe in anthropogenic climate change. These findings highlight concerns that consensus messaging strategies may be ineffective or backfire among audiences that science communicators are most keen to target.