Comprehension of climate change and environmental attitudes across the lifespan
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
Standard
In: Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie, Vol. 47, No. 6, 06.08.2014, p. 490-494.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
Harvard
APA
Vancouver
Bibtex
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
T1 - Comprehension of climate change and environmental attitudes across the lifespan
AU - Degen, Christina
AU - Kettner, Sara Elisa
AU - Fischer, Hermann
AU - Lohse, Johannes
AU - Funke, Joachim
AU - Schwieren, Christiane
AU - Goeschl, Timo
AU - Schröder, Johanna
PY - 2014/8/6
Y1 - 2014/8/6
N2 - Given the coincidence of the demographic change and climate change in the upcoming decades the aging voter gains increasing importance in climate change mitigation and adaptation processes. It is generally assumed that information status and comprehension of complex processes underlying climate change are prerequisites for adopting pro-environmental attitudes and taking pro-environmental actions. In a cross-sectional study, we investigated in how far (1) environmental knowledge and comprehension of feedback processes underlying climate change and (2) pro-environmental attitudes change as a function of age. Our sample consisted of 92 participants aged 25–75 years (mean age 49.4 years, SD 17.0). Age was negatively related to comprehension of system structures inherent to climate change, but positively associated with level of fear of consequences and anxiousness towards climate change. No significant relations were found between environmental knowledge and pro-environmental attitude. These results indicate that, albeit understanding of relevant structures of the climate system is less present in older age, age is not a limiting factor for being engaged in the complex dilemma of climate change. Results bear implications for the communication of climate change and pro-environmental actions in aging societies.
AB - Given the coincidence of the demographic change and climate change in the upcoming decades the aging voter gains increasing importance in climate change mitigation and adaptation processes. It is generally assumed that information status and comprehension of complex processes underlying climate change are prerequisites for adopting pro-environmental attitudes and taking pro-environmental actions. In a cross-sectional study, we investigated in how far (1) environmental knowledge and comprehension of feedback processes underlying climate change and (2) pro-environmental attitudes change as a function of age. Our sample consisted of 92 participants aged 25–75 years (mean age 49.4 years, SD 17.0). Age was negatively related to comprehension of system structures inherent to climate change, but positively associated with level of fear of consequences and anxiousness towards climate change. No significant relations were found between environmental knowledge and pro-environmental attitude. These results indicate that, albeit understanding of relevant structures of the climate system is less present in older age, age is not a limiting factor for being engaged in the complex dilemma of climate change. Results bear implications for the communication of climate change and pro-environmental actions in aging societies.
KW - Economics
U2 - 10.1007/s00391-014-0675-0
DO - 10.1007/s00391-014-0675-0
M3 - Journal articles
VL - 47
SP - 490
EP - 494
JO - Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie
JF - Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie
SN - 0948-6704
IS - 6
ER -