Can Climate Skeptics Be Convinced? The Effect of Nature Videos on Environmental Concern
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results
4. Discussion
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
Ethics Statement
Appendix
Model | (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dependent Variable | Environmental Concern (ISSP9) (z-Standardized) | |||
Positive video | 0.28 + | 0.13 | 0.10 | 0.09 |
(0.15) | (0.16) | (0.16) | (0.15) | |
Negative video | 0.13 | −0.01 | −0.01 | −0.04 |
(0.15) | (0.16) | (0.15) | (0.15) | |
Mixed video | 0.44 ** | 0.35 * | 0.35 * | 0.30 * |
(0.14) | (0.15) | (0.15) | (0.14) | |
Sex: female | 0.37 ** | 0.26 + | 0.15 | |
(0.13) | (0.14) | (0.14) | ||
Age (z-standardized) | 0.11 + | 0.07 | 0.07 | |
(0.06) | (0.06) | (0.06) | ||
Children (yes/no) | 0.01 | −0.01 | −0.02 | |
(0.14) | (0.14) | (0.14) | ||
Equivalence income (z-standardized) | 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.08 | |
(0.05) | (0.05) | (0.05) | ||
Highly educated | 0.04 | 0.07 | 0.02 | |
(0.12) | (0.12) | (0.11) | ||
Empathy (z-standardized) | 0.20 ** | 0.19 ** | ||
(0.06) | (0.06) | |||
Social approval (z-standardized) | 0.12 * | |||
(0.06) | ||||
Importance of money (z-standardized) | −0.34 *** | |||
(0.06) | ||||
Conservative vs. liberal (z-standardized) | 0.08 | |||
(0.05) | ||||
Left vs. right (z-standardized) | −0.09 * | |||
(0.05) | ||||
Social desirability (z-standardized) | −0.19 *** | |||
(0.05) | ||||
Constant | −0.20 + | −0.18 | −0.16 | −0.07 |
(0.11) | (0.16) | (0.16) | (0.16) | |
n | 360 | 338 | 338 | 330 |
Adjusted R2 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.06 | 0.19 |
References
- McCright, A.M.; Xiao, C.; Dunlap, R.E. Political polarization on support for government spending on environmental protection in the USA, 1974–2012. Soc. Sci. Res. 2014, 48, 251–260. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Clark, A.; Justwan, F.; Carlisle, J.E.; Clark, M. Polarization politics and hopes for a green agenda in the United States. Environ. Politics 2019. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Franzen, A.; Vogl, D. Two decades of measuring environmental attitudes. A comparative analysis of 33 countries. Glob. Environ. Chang. 2013, 23, 1001–1008. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- SVP Schweiz. Ich Kämpfe Gegen Den Missbrauch Des Klimawandels Für Politische Zwecke. Available online: https://www.svp.ch/partei/publikationen/extrablatt/extrablatt-juni-2019-vernunft-statt-ideologie/ich-kaempfe-gegen-den-missbrauch-des-klimawandels-fuer-politische-zwecke/ (accessed on 7 April 2020).
- Combes, J.-L.; Hamit-Haggar, M.; Schwartz, S. A multilevel analysis of the determinants of willingness to pay to prevent environmental pollution across countries. Soc. Sci. J. 2018, 55, 284–299. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Post, D.; Meng, Y. Does schooling foster environmental values and action? A cross-national study of priorities and behaviors. Int. J. Educ. Dev. 2018, 60, 10–18. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Blas, M.M.; Alva, I.E.; Carcamo, C.P.; Cabello, R.; Goodreau, S.M.; Kimball, A.M.; Kurth, A.E. Effect of an online video-based intervention to increase HIV testing in men who have sex with men in Peru. PLoS ONE 2010, 5, e10448. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Roberto, A.J.; Meyer, G.; Johnson, A.J.; Atkin, C.K. Using the extended parallel process model to prevent firearm injury and death: Field experiment results of a video-based intervention. J. Commun. 2000, 50, 157–175. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Stanczyk, N.E.; Smit, E.S.; Schulz, D.N.; de Vries, H.; Bolman, C.; Muris, J.W.M.; Evers, S.M.A.A. An economic evaluation of a video- and text-based computer-tailored intervention for smoking cessation: A cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analysis of a randomized controlled trial. PLoS ONE 2014, 9, e110117. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Thornton, J.D.; Patrick, B.; Sullivan, C.; Albert, J.M.; Wong, K.A.; Allen, M.D.; Kimble, L.; Mekesa, H.; Bowen, G.; Sehgal, A.R. Comparing web-based video interventions to enhance university student willingness to donate organs: A randomized controlled trial. Clin. Transplant. 2019, 33, e13506. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Vogt, S.; Zaid, N.A.M.; Ahmed, H.E.F.; Fehr, E.; Efferson, C. Changing cultural attitudes towards female genital cutting. Nature 2016, 538, 506–509. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Yousuf, H.; Narula, J.; Zwetsloot, P.-P.; Hofstra, M.; de Levita, A.; Scherder, E.; van Rossum, B.; Hofstra, L. Using entertainment to improve lifestyles and health. Lancet 2019, 394, 119–120. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Johnson, D.; Wilson, D.B.; Maguire, E.R.; Lowrey-Kinberg, B.V. Race and perceptions of police: Experimental results on the impact of procedural (in)justice. Justice Q. 2017, 34, 1184–1212. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Maguire, E.R.; Lowrey, B.V.; Johnson, D. Evaluating the relative impact of positive and negative encounters with police: A randomized experiment. J. Exp. Criminol. 2017, 13, 367–391. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Skurka, C.; Quick, B.L.; Reynolds-Tylus, T.; Short, T.; Bryan, A.L. An evaluation of a college campus emergency preparedness intervention. J. Saf. Res. 2018, 65, 67–72. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Moss-Racusin, C.A.; Pietri, E.S.; Hennes, E.P.; Dovidio, J.F.; Brescoll, V.L.; Roussos, G.; Handelsman, J. Reducing STEM gender bias with VIDS (Video Interventions for Diversity in STEM). J. Exp. Psychol. Appl. 2018, 24, 236–260. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Zelenski, J.M.; Dopko, R.L.; Capaldi, C.A. Cooperation is in our nature: Nature exposure may promote cooperative and environmentally sustainable behavior. J. Environ. Psychol. 2015, 42, 24–31. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Janpol, H.L.; Dilts, R. Does viewing documentary films affect environmental perceptions and behaviors? Appl. Environ. Educ. Commun. 2016, 15, 90–98. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Shreedhar, G.; Mourato, S. Experimental evidence on the impact of biodiversity conservation videos on charitable donations. Ecol. Econ. 2019, 158, 180–193. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Jacobson, S.K.; Morales, N.A.; Chen, B.; Soodeen, R.; Moulton, M.P.; Jain, E. Love or Loss: Effective message framing to promote environmental conservation. Appl. Environ. Educ. Commun. 2019, 18, 252–265. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sunstein, C.R.; Reisch, L.A.; Kaiser, M. Trusting nudges? Lessons from an international survey. J. Eur. Public Policy 2019, 26, 1417–1443. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Thaler, R.; Sunstein, C.R. Nudge: Improving Decision about Health, Wealth, and Happiness; Yale University Press: New Haven, CT, USA, 2008. [Google Scholar]
- Franzen, A.; Mader, S. Testing the Measurement of Environmental Concern: Do Single Items Outperform Multi-Item Scales? University of Bern: Bern, Switzerland, 2020. [Google Scholar]
- Holm, S. A simple sequentially rejective multiple test procedure. Scand. J. Stat. 1979, 6, 65–70. [Google Scholar]
- Davis, M.H. Measuring individual differences in empathy: Evidence for a multidimensional approach. J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 1983, 44, 113–126. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Franzen, A.; Mader, S.; Winter, F. Contagious yawning, empathy, and their relation to pro-social behavior. J. Exp. Psychol. Gen. 2018, 147, 1950–1958. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Crowne, D.P.; Marlowe, D. A new scale of social desirability independent of psychopathology. J. Consult. Psychol. 1960, 24, 349–354. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Clancy, K. Systematic Bias in Field Studies of Mental Illness. Ph.D. Thesis, New York University, New York, NY, USA, 1971. [Google Scholar]
- Franzen, A.; Mader, S. Do phantom questions measure social desirability? Methods Data Anal. 2019, 13, 37–57. [Google Scholar]
Sex: Female | Age | Equivalence Income (1‘000 CHF) | Conservative (0)–Liberal (10) | Left (0)–Right (10) | n | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Control group | 0.20 | 55.7 | 5.83 | 4.30 | 7.99 | 98 |
Positive video group | 0.22 | 58.8 | 6.52 | 4.23 | 8.03 | 87 |
Negative video group | 0.22 | 58.8 | 6.33 | 4.59 | 8.01 | 95 |
Mixed video group | 0.11 | 56.3 | 6.05 | 4.59 | 8.14 | 80 |
Differences (T-test) | n.s. | n.s. | n.s. | n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
Total | 0.19 | 57.4 | 6.19 | 4.42 | 8.04 | 360 |
(1) | How willing would you be to pay much higher prices in order to protect the environment? | 0.80 |
(2) | How willing would you be to pay much higher taxes in order to protect the environment? | 0.75 |
(3) | How willing would you be to accept cuts in your standard of living in order to protect the environment? | 0.74 |
(4) | I do what is right for the environment, even when it costs more money or takes more time. | 0.77 |
(5) | Modern science will solve our environmental problems with little change to our way of living. | 0.71 |
(6) | In order to protect the environment, the country needs economic growth. | 0.68 |
(7) | It is just too difficult for someone like me to do much about the environment. | 0.38 |
(8) | We worry too much about the future of the environment and not enough about prices and jobs. | 0.63 |
(9) | People worry too much about human progress harming the environment. | 0.69 |
Perspective taking | (1) | I try to look at everybody’s side of a disagreement before I make a decision. | 0.71 |
(2) | I believe that there are two sides to every question and try to look at them both. | 0.64 | |
(3) | When I am upset with someone, I usually try to put myself in his shoes for a while. | 0.69 | |
(4) | Before criticizing somebody, I try to imagine how I would feel if I were in their place. | 0.78 | |
Fantasy | (5) | I really get involved with the feelings of the characters in a novel. | 0.65 |
(6) | After seeing a play or movie, I have felt as though I were one of the characters. | 0.80 | |
(7) | When I watch a good movie, I can very easily put myself in the place of a leading character. | 0.81 | |
(8) | When I am reading an interesting story or novel, I imagine how I would feel if the events in the story were happening to me. | 0.70 | |
Empathetic concern | (9) | I often have tender, concerned feelings for people less fortunate than me. | 0.75 |
(10) | When I see someone being taken advantage of, I feel kind of protective towards them. | 0.75 | |
(11) | I am often quite touched by things that I see happen. | 0.64 | |
(12) | I would describe myself as a rather soft-hearted person. | 0.69 |
Public approval | (1) | It is important for me that my colleagues value my work. | 0.56 |
(2) | It is important for me that I get positive feedback, when I have done something well. | 0.67 | |
(3) | It is important for me to succeed in life. | 0.68 | |
(4) | I expect proper reward for my dedication. | 0.75 | |
Private approval | (5) | I do not care about how others think of me. | 0.72 |
(6) | It matters a lot for me that my friends speak in high terms of me. | 0.55 | |
(7) | For me it is all the same, when others do not accept me the way I am. | 0.76 | |
(8) | I do not mind critique at all. | 0.68 |
(1) | Money is important for me. | 0.77 |
(2) | Money makes me happy. | 0.77 |
(3) | I enjoy material things. | 0.71 |
(4) | To make more money, I would work more immediately. | 0.52 |
(5) | If in doubt, I prefer to have more than less money. | 0.55 |
(6) | Financial security is important for my wellbeing. | 0.72 |
(7) | Material wealth is important for me. | 0.75 |
(8) | One can only have a decent life with a lot of money. | 0.50 |
Polarity | ||
(1) | No matter who I’m talking to, I’m always a good listener. | T |
(2) | I sometimes try to get even, rather than forgive and forget. | F |
(3) | I have never been irked when people expressed ideas very different from my own. | T |
(4) | I never hesitate to go out of my way to help someone in trouble. | T |
(5) | I never resent being asked to return a favour. | T |
(6) | On occasion I have had doubts about my ability to succeed in life. | F |
(7) | There have been times when I felt like rebelling against people in authority even though I knew they were right. | F |
(8) | Before voting I thoroughly investigate the qualifications of all the candidates. | T |
(9) | If I could get into a movie without paying and be sure I was not seen, I would probably do it. | F |
(10) | At times I have really insisted on having things my own way. | F |
Model | (1) | (2) |
---|---|---|
Dependent Variable | Donation (Yes/No) | |
Positive video | −0.07 | −0.58 |
(0.46) | (0.53) | |
Negative video | 0.21 | −0.06 |
(0.42) | (0.44) | |
Mixed video | −0.10 | −0.36 |
(0.47) | (0.51) | |
Sex: female | 0.09 | |
(0.45) | ||
Age | −0.00 | |
(0.01) | ||
Children (yes/no) | −0.78 + | |
(0.41) | ||
Equivalence income | 0.08 | |
(0.05) | ||
Highly educated | −0.10 | |
(0.36) | ||
Empathy | 0.02 | |
(0.03) | ||
Social approval | 0.04 | |
(0.06) | ||
Importance of money | −0.07 + | |
(0.04) | ||
Conservative vs. liberal | 0.12 + | |
(0.07) | ||
Left vs. right | −0.03 | |
(0.12) | ||
Social desirability | 0.03 | |
(0.12) | ||
Constant | −1.97 *** | −2.24 |
(0.31) | (2.04) | |
n | 360 | 330 |
Pseudo R2 | 0.00 | 0.06 |
© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Franzen, A.; Mader, S. Can Climate Skeptics Be Convinced? The Effect of Nature Videos on Environmental Concern. Sustainability 2020, 12, 2972. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072972
Franzen A, Mader S. Can Climate Skeptics Be Convinced? The Effect of Nature Videos on Environmental Concern. Sustainability. 2020; 12(7):2972. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072972
Chicago/Turabian StyleFranzen, Axel, and Sebastian Mader. 2020. "Can Climate Skeptics Be Convinced? The Effect of Nature Videos on Environmental Concern" Sustainability 12, no. 7: 2972. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072972
APA StyleFranzen, A., & Mader, S. (2020). Can Climate Skeptics Be Convinced? The Effect of Nature Videos on Environmental Concern. Sustainability, 12(7), 2972. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12072972