One or Many? The Influence of Episodic and Thematic Climate Change Frames on Policy Preferences and Individual Behavior Change

2010/08/18 by Philip Solomon Hart · 1 voice · 1 citation
Social Sciences · Environmental Science · #Climate Change Communication and Perception #Environmental Education and Sustainability #Risk Perception and Management

paper · doi:10.1177/1075547010366400

openalex publication_date 2010/08/18 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30

Abstract

Drawing from framing theory, this study examines how describing the impact of climate change on polar bears with an episodic or thematic frame may affect predispositions for individual behavior change and support for policies to address climate change. The study finds that participants exposed to a thematic frame had more support for policies that address climate change than participants exposed to an episodic frame. There was no framing effect for predispositions for individual behavior change. Implications for communicating climate change to the general public are discussed.

Citations

• Communicating Climate Change: Why Frames Matter for Public Engagement
• Framing responsibility for political issues: The case of poverty
• Framing Science
• Sympathy and callousness: The impact of deliberative thought on donations to identifiable and statistical victims

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Discussions

• So perhaps of interest: doi.org/10.1177/1075... doi.org/10.1080/1058... doi.org/10.1111/hcre... doi.org/10.1080/1081... https://doi.org.10.1080/10410236.2022.2093555 [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]