This significant research initiative spanned 63 countries, engaging 59,000 participants in its survey to inform the app's development. Among the nations, Norway stood out with distinct responses to climate messaging, offering insights into effective communication strategies.
Isabel Richter, an Associate Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, underscores the app's potential in enhancing global climate action. The app, a product of collaboration among nearly 250 researchers, leverages tested climate messages and strategies for broader impact. This comprehensive study, detailed in the Science Advances journal, went beyond conventional studies by exploring a variety of message variations and gathering global perspectives.
The study's methodology involved exposing participants to diverse climate-related messages and tasks, then evaluating their responses to various climate initiatives. The effectiveness of these strategies was measured by the willingness of individuals to endorse and act upon different climate change solutions.
Findings revealed diverse reactions to climate messages, with tactics like "doom and gloom" warnings showing varied effectiveness across countries. For instance, while such messages spurred social media sharing globally, they had contrasting effects on concrete actions like reforestation in certain regions. Moreover, the study highlighted the nuances in public receptivity to climate messages, influenced by demographics and national contexts.
In Norway, traditional gloom and doom messages proved ineffective, whereas approaches emphasizing moral responsibility and expert consensus on climate issues gained traction. This discrepancy illustrates the need for targeted messaging strategies that account for cultural and national differences.
The study, spearheaded by researchers from New York University and the University of Vienna, benefited significantly from NTNU's input. NTNU researchers played a key role in shaping the interventions and gathering data, particularly in Norway and Kenya.
The research underscores the complexity of climate communication, suggesting that scare tactics may boost social media engagement but fail to motivate substantive actions. It calls for a strategic adaptation of messages to engage the public meaningfully in climate initiatives.
Adapting climate messaging to audience preferences and cultural contexts emerges as a critical strategy for fostering support for effective climate action. This study sheds light on the varied effectiveness of communication strategies across different global demographics, advocating for a nuanced approach to climate advocacy.
Research Report:Addressing climate change with behavioral science: A global intervention tournament in 63 countries
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