Promoting attitude change and expressed willingness to take action toward climate change in college students

Abstract

This study examined the relationship among cognitive and motivational variables impacting college students’ willingness to take mitigative action to reduce the impacts of human-induced climate change. One hundred and forty college students were asked to read a persuasive text about human-induced climate change and were pre and post tested on their attitudes about climate change and their willingness to take action to mitigate its effects. Students showed statistically significant changes in their attitudes about climate change and their willingness to commit to take action. A path model demonstrated that openness to change and a willingness to think deeply about issues predicted both change in attitudes and expressed willingness to take action. This research demonstrates that a persuasive text has the potential to promote change around complex socio-scientific issues.

Appendices

Appendix A

Rate the degree to which you agree with the following statements:

1. Scientific evidence points to a warming trend in global climate.
Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5
2. Human activity has been the driving force behind the warming trend over the last 50 years.
Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5
3. The release of CO2 (carbon dioxide) from human activity (such as smoke stacks and car emissions) has played a central role in raising the average surface temperature of the earth.
Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5
4. The surface temperature of the earth has risen by more than 1 degree Fahrenheit since 1900.
Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5
5. The Greenland ice cap is melting faster than had previously been thought.
Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5
6. Human activity is responsible for the continuing rise in average global temperature.
Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5
7. The speed with which the melting ice caps may raise sea levels is uncertain.
Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5
8. The likelihood that emissions are the main cause of the observed warming trend of the last 50 years is between 90 and 99%.
Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5
9. Former Vice President Al Gore’s documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth,” about global climate change is just propaganda.
Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5
10. Natural phenomena such as solar variations combined with volcanic activity are the real cause of the warming effect.
Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5
11. Humans have very little effect on climate temperature.
Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5
12. An increase in CO2 (carbon dioxide) is directly related to an increase in global temperature.
Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5
13. It is arrogant to assume that humans can influence climate temperature.
Strongly disagree	Disagree	Unsure	Agree	Strongly agree
1	2	3	4	5

Appendix B

In order to reduce the effects of global warming, we may need to make some sacrifices. Listed below are several examples of action that could help to reduce global warming. Please use the rating scale below to indicate how willing you would be to take action to reduce global warming.

1. I’m willing to use stop using plastic grocery bags and use recycled bags instead.
Not willing at all	Somewhat willing	Totally willing	Willing enough to convince others
1	2	3	4
2. I’m willing to stop buying bottled water because the manufacturing process for plastic water bottles is carbon intensive.
Not willing at all	Somewhat willing	Totally willing	Willing enough to convince others
1	2	3	4
3. I’d be willing to trade in my SUV for a smaller car.
Not willing at all	Somewhat willing	Totally willing	Willing enough to convince others
1	2	3	4
4. I’d be willing to car pool.
Not willing at all	Somewhat willing	Totally willing	Willing enough to convince others
1	2	3	4
5. I’m willing to pay more money to buy a hybrid car.
Not willing at all	Somewhat willing	Totally willing	Willing enough to convince others
1	2	3	4
6. I’m willing to replace all the light bulbs in my house with energy efficient fluorescent bulbs.
Not willing at all	Somewhat willing	Totally willing	Willing enough to convince others
1	2	3	4
7. I’m willing to pay a .50 cents surcharge per gallon of gas to go toward greenhouse gas reduction.
Not willing at all	Somewhat willing	Totally willing	Willing enough to convince others
1	2	3	4
8. I’m willing to keep my home air conditioning system set no lower than 75 degrees in the summer.
Not willing at all	Somewhat willing	Totally willing	Willing enough to convince others
1	2	3	4
9. I would vote in favor of requiring car manufacturers to raise the number of miles per gallon their cars get, even if it meant all cars would cost more.
Not willing at all	Somewhat willing	Totally willing	Willing enough to convince others
1	2	3	4
10. I’m willing to reduce the numbers of hours a week I use electronic devices (computer, cell phone, TV, etc.).
Not willing at all	Somewhat willing	Totally willing	Willing enough to convince others
1	2	3	4
11. I would support legislation reducing the legal speed limit to 55 miles per hour.
Not willing at all	Somewhat willing	Totally willing	Willing enough to convince others
1	2	3	4
12. Regardless of the posted speed limit, I’m willing to drive no faster than 55 miles per hour in order to reduce energy consumption.
Not willing at all	Somewhat willing	Totally willing	Willing enough to convince others
1	2	3	4