Responses to Climate Change Messages: The Effects of Message Framing and Scarcity Appeals on Climate Change Mitigation Efforts

Abstract

This study considered strategies for persuading individuals to comply with climate change mitigation. Specifically, this study examined how the use of gain-and-loss framed messages and scarcity appeals influenced individuals’ attitudes toward climate change mitigation efforts and their intent to comply. I predicted that scarcity would moderate levels of psychological reactance when paired with message framing. Participants were 274 undergraduate students who read a fabricated New York Times op-ed article about climate change (in)action and mitigation efforts. They then completed an online questionnaire that asked them about their perceptions of the article, attitudes regarding climate change mitigation efforts, and their willingness to comply with those efforts. Results revealed that the manipulated variables of message framing and scarcity appeals did not individually or collectively predict persuasive outcomes. Theoretical and practical implications discussed provide direction for future research in this domain.