Brandi S. Morris|Polymeros Chrysochou|Jacob Dalgaard Christensen|Jacob L. Orquin|Jorge A. Barraza|Paul J. Zak|Panagiotis Mitkidis
Stories vs. facts: triggering emotion and action-taking on climate change
Aarhus University|Aarhus University|Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences|Aarhus University|University of Southern California|Claremont Graduate University|Duke University
climate change issue elicits low engagement even among concerned segments public research suggests presentation factual information eg scientific consensus persuasive audiences also empirical evidence indicating may also increase resistance others research investigate whether climate change narratives structured stories better informational narratives promoting proenvironmental behavior diverse audiences propose narratives structured stories facilitate experiential processing heightening affective engagement emotional arousal serve impetus actiontaking across three studies manipulate structure climate change communications investigate influences narrative transportation measures autonomic reactivity indicative emotional arousal proenvironmental behavior find stories effective informational narratives promoting proenvironmental behavior studies 1 3 selfreported narrative transportation study 2 particularly negatively valenced endings study 3 results study 3 indicate embedding information story structure influences cardiac activity subsequently proenvironmental behavior findings connect works fields psychology neuroscience narratology climate change communication advancing understanding narrative structure influences engagement climate change emotional arousal likely incites proenvironmental behavior brains way optimizing bodily budgets