Americans are more likely to support and take action on environmental issues when they are supported by scientists or their fellow citizens, rather than by the government, new research from Boston College and Princeton University has suggested.
According to the findings, which were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Americans were ‘especially influenced’ when both scientists and ordinary citizens supported a solution.
‘Combined voice’
“What surprised us was how consistently the combined voice of scientists and ordinary citizens mattered across issues and partisans, even when governments and companies opposed action,” commented Gregg Sparkman, assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at Boston College, and senior author of the study.
“Americans were still encouraged to act when scientists and ordinary citizens jointly expressed support for solutions.”
In conducting the study, participants were presented with information showing whether solutions related to climate policy, electric vehicles, sustainable proteins, vaccines, AI policy, misinformation, and data privacy, were supported or opposed by scientists, fellow citizens, government institutions or private companies.
They were then asked whether these sources of influence would affect their willingness to support policies, purchase products, donate money or engage with information online.
‘Powerful institutions’
“This work suggests that institutional failure does not have to lead to public paralysis,” added Anandita Sabherwal, a joint post-doctoral researcher at Princeton University and Boston College,
“Opposition from powerful institutions did not necessarily make people give up. When people saw that scientists and ordinary citizens endorsed solutions, they were still willing to act on that joint advice – including by donating money to a nonprofit and engaging with real content on social media.”
According to the study’s authors, the findings have potential implications for climate communication in the US, suggesting that highlighting agreement between scientists and the wider public may be an effective way of encouraging participation and support.
The study, entitled Combined signals of scientific and social consensus best mobilise action on societal challenges even if government and industry oppose, was based on four studies involving around 55,000 participants. Read more here.
