Knowledge and intent related to climate change

Eva-Lotta Sundblad disputerade 2008 på avhandlingen:
People´s knowledge about climate change: Uncertainty as a guide to future commitments

Introduction

Knowledge of climate change is steadily increasing in society. Scientific methods provide knowledge regarding impacts from humanity on climate as well as current and future climate impacts on humanity.
The access to and use of information by the public is an important step in the possible success of the environmental programme of EU. To have knowledge of causes and consequences of climate change is the first step toward further attention by the public. Systematic processing of such knowledge may motivate own intentions to behave in a pro-environmental manner, and also support of policy actions.

In my first study the dissemination of knowledge among groups of experts, journalists, politicians and laypersons was assessed. Knowledge is often mediated by journalists before it reaches the public. Possession of scientific knowledge seems to relate to how knowledge is transferred. Levels of confidence of one´s own knowledge follow the knowledge levels.

Objectives

To assess differences in knowledge and confidence in one´s own knowledge of climate change among various groups

To assess perception of risk in relation to knowledge of causes of, state of and consequences of climate change..

To secure direction and strength of relation between knowledge and intention to act personally or by support policy actions.

Methods

There are three phases
a.
Explorative interviews with laypersons about current beliefs about climate change. The most important beliefs are described and conceptualised

b. Assessment of present knowledge, through a survey addressed to various groups in society, such as journalists, laypersons, politicians, experts

c. Experiments to evaluate how systematic changes in information uncertainty will affect intent to act .

Links
www.ruseda.se

Publications

Sundblad, E-L., Biel, A., & Gärling, T. (2008).
Knowledge and confidence in knowledge about climate change among experts, journalists, politicians, and laypersons.
Environment and Behavior. Prepublished March 20, 2008. DOI: 10.1177/0013916508314998

Sundblad, E.-L., Biel, A., & Gäling, T. (2007).
Cognitive and affective risk judgements related to climate change. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 27, 97-106.