Kathryn R. Selm|M. Nils Peterson|George R. Hess|Scott M. Beck|Melissa R. McHale
Educational attainment predicts negative perceptions women have of their own climate change knowledge
North Carolina State University|North Carolina State University|North Carolina State University|Colorado State University|Colorado State University
education may encourage personal collective responses climate change climate education proven surprisingly difficult complex selfperception knowledge intelligence represent one factor may impact willingness learn climate change explored possibility case study raleigh north carolina 2015 n 200 goal test gender ethnicity influenced perceptions people climate change knowledge survey respondents asked strongly agreed statement feel knowledgeable climate change 1 strongly disagree 5 strongly agree survey instrument also included demographic questions race age income gender education well respondents experience natural disasters drought observed interaction education gender womens selfperceived knowledge higher men among people low levels educational attainment higher men women among people high levels educational attainment addition minority respondents selfreported lower perceived climate change knowledge white respondents regardless educational attainment study enhances understanding gender gap selfperceptions climate knowledge suggesting contingent educational attainment could result stereotypethreat experienced women minorities exacerbated educational systems people question knowledge often able learn particularly ideologically charged contexts highly educated women minorities may successful learning climate change white men