Kathryn T. Stevenson|M. Nils Peterson|Howard D. Bondell|Sara Moore|Sarah Carrier
Overcoming skepticism with education: interacting influences of worldview and climate change knowledge on perceived climate change risk among adolescents
North Carolina State University|North Carolina State University|North Carolina State University|North Carolina State University|North Carolina State University
though many climate literacy efforts attempt communicate climate change risk strategies may ineffective among adults worldview rather scientific understanding largely drives climate change risk perceptions increased science literacy may polarize worldviewdriven perceptions making climate literacy efforts ineffective among skeptics worldviews still forming teenage years adolescents may represent receptive audience study examined worldview climate change knowledge related acceptance anthropogenic global warming agw turn climate change risk perception among middle school students north carolina usa n 387 found respondents individualistic worldviews 161 percentage points less likely accept agw communitarian respondents median knowledge levels mirroring findings similar studies among adults interaction knowledge worldview however opposite previous studies among adults increased climate change knowledge positively related acceptance agw among groups stronger positive relationship among individualists though individualists 241 percentage points less likely accept agw communitarians low levels bottom decile climate change knowledge statistical difference acceptance levels individualists communitarians high levels knowledge top decile nonwhite females also demonstrated higher levels agw acceptance climate change risk perception respectively thus education efforts specific climate change may counteract divisions based worldviews among adolescents