The complexity of pluralistic ignorance in Republican climate change policy support in the United States
Abstract Most Americans fail to recognize widespread public support for climate change action. Here we investigate how this phenomenon differs for Republican supporters versus opponents of several climate change policies. Surveying a representative sample of Republican voters (N = 1000), we find tha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01240-x |
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| author | Graham Dixon Christopher Clarke Jeffrey Jacquet Darrick T. N. Evensen P. Sol Hart |
| author_facet | Graham Dixon Christopher Clarke Jeffrey Jacquet Darrick T. N. Evensen P. Sol Hart |
| author_sort | Graham Dixon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Most Americans fail to recognize widespread public support for climate change action. Here we investigate how this phenomenon differs for Republican supporters versus opponents of several climate change policies. Surveying a representative sample of Republican voters (N = 1000), we find that misperception of in-group support for climate action is primarily restricted to Republicans already opposed to action. Specifically, those in the minority (i.e., Republicans opposed to climate action) were more likely to erroneously perceive other Republicans as holding views on climate change policy similar to their own. While Republican supporters recognize that most Republicans support climate change policy, they may be discouraged from expressing their support due to an information environment disproportionately portraying Republicans as opposed to climate change action. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cdea75a8058c47238745caefea6f8817 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-cdea75a8058c47238745caefea6f88172025-01-26T12:53:57ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352024-02-01511610.1038/s43247-024-01240-xThe complexity of pluralistic ignorance in Republican climate change policy support in the United StatesGraham Dixon0Christopher Clarke1Jeffrey Jacquet2Darrick T. N. Evensen3P. Sol Hart4The Ohio State UniversityGeorge Mason UniversityThe Ohio State UniversityUniversity of EdinburghUniversity of MichiganAbstract Most Americans fail to recognize widespread public support for climate change action. Here we investigate how this phenomenon differs for Republican supporters versus opponents of several climate change policies. Surveying a representative sample of Republican voters (N = 1000), we find that misperception of in-group support for climate action is primarily restricted to Republicans already opposed to action. Specifically, those in the minority (i.e., Republicans opposed to climate action) were more likely to erroneously perceive other Republicans as holding views on climate change policy similar to their own. While Republican supporters recognize that most Republicans support climate change policy, they may be discouraged from expressing their support due to an information environment disproportionately portraying Republicans as opposed to climate change action.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01240-x |
| spellingShingle | Graham Dixon Christopher Clarke Jeffrey Jacquet Darrick T. N. Evensen P. Sol Hart The complexity of pluralistic ignorance in Republican climate change policy support in the United States Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | The complexity of pluralistic ignorance in Republican climate change policy support in the United States |
| title_full | The complexity of pluralistic ignorance in Republican climate change policy support in the United States |
| title_fullStr | The complexity of pluralistic ignorance in Republican climate change policy support in the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | The complexity of pluralistic ignorance in Republican climate change policy support in the United States |
| title_short | The complexity of pluralistic ignorance in Republican climate change policy support in the United States |
| title_sort | complexity of pluralistic ignorance in republican climate change policy support in the united states |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01240-x |
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