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Visualizing climate change: the role of construal level, emotional valence, and visual literacy

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Abstract

This study examines how the level of concreteness and abstraction of climate change imagery influences people’s responses via emotional valence, and how such effect is moderated by people’s visual literacy. Findings show that concrete images promote negative feelings, which subsequently reduce people’s perceived distance to climate change, and encourage concern and behavioral intention. Less visually literate people are more influenced by the visuals’ effect and are more motivated by concrete images. Our study integrates theoretical perspectives from construal level, emotional valence, and visual literacy, while also offering practical advice regarding how to effectively visualize climate change to engage a wide audience.

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Notes

  1. All images came from the study by Duan et al. (2021). Supplemental Appendix includes the links to all the selected images. All the images can be provided upon request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reynolds School of Journalism, University of Nevada, Reno, RSJ 204, Mail Stop 310, Reno, NV, 89557, USA

    Ran Duan

  2. Department of Mathematics & Statistics, College of Science, University of Nevada, Reno, Davidson Mathematics & Science Center, 1664 N. Virginia St. / 0084, Reno, NV, 89557, USA

    Christian Bombara

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  1. Ran Duan
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  2. Christian Bombara
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Correspondence to Ran Duan.

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Duan, R., Bombara, C. Visualizing climate change: the role of construal level, emotional valence, and visual literacy. Climatic Change 170, 1 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-021-03291-x

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