DDRIG in DRMS: Exploring the role of existential fear appeals and social attachments in natural hazard risk assessment and behavior

Texas A&M Agrilife Research, College Station TX

Investigators

Abstract

Climate change is a worldwide threat for both the individual and humanity more broadly. According to the most recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, we have to immediately and rapidly reach net zero carbon emissions to avoid many of the worst effects. Determining how to motivate the public to pursue carbon mitigation will therefore be essential for policy makers. This project studies the value, measured by willingness to pay, placed on climate change mitigation in an experimental setting. In particular this project focuses on the way information about climate change is presented to people (i.e., framing) in the context of social preferences). The research studies how social preferences influence willingness to pay and, further, how an individual’s social preferences influence the impact of framing. The framing used in this experiment mirrors one of the real world characteristics of climate change. Developed nations pollute the most per capita, but developing nations are the most exposed to negative effects from climate change. Some participants receive framing emphasizing the risks from climate change to themselves directly, whereas others receive language emphasizing the risk to those in developing nations. The hypothesis is that the former framing may be more motivating to self-regarding individuals, whereas individuals who are more strongly concerned with others' welfare are more motivated by the latter framing. Results from this experiment help to inform policy discussions. The findings, for example, may be useful to policy makers trying to word a referendum. Environmental activists may also find the results helpful in tailoring their messages. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.