An experimental investigation into climate change denial

The scientific evidence that climate change is happening and is
predominantly human-made is now more certain than the evidence for the
link between smoking and lung cancer, or Darwinian evolution. Alarmingly,
the number of people denying climate change is on the increase, reflected in
statements by prominent figures such as Donald Trump dismissing climate
change as a "Chinese hoax". This study sets out to explore why this might be
happening, by investigating whether subconscious "defence mechanisms" are
blocking peoples' rational responses to climate change. Until now, the
majority of interventions aimed at making people more aware of climate
change and attempting to help them behave in more environmentally
friendly ways have treated people as rational decision makers. These
approaches have ignored psychologically complex emotional responses such
as feelings of helplessness, vulnerability, guilt, defiance and denial. These
responses may mean that communications about climate change may have
the opposite effect to that which is intended, driving people further towards
denial, and even motivating them to behave in ways that are directly
damaging to the environment, such as excessive consumption. This study will
use innovative methods to investigate subconscious defence mechanisms
that lead to these feelings, in a wide range of participants with different
political views and different attitudes to the environment. The study will
inform how public policy interventions relating to climate change might be
improved and will identify how climate change might be more effectively
communicated, taught and engaged with.