Ohio State researchers may have found a way to persuade more people to take action on climate change.
In a study, researchers tested volunteers for open-mindedness, then showed them either one or two videos. One illustrated the challenges associated with climate change. The other said that trying to stop climate change was a waste of money that would involve higher taxes and a larger role for government. Volunteers randomly saw either or both of the videos.
Open-minded participants who were initially neutral or negative became supporters of action to stop climate change, but only if they saw both videos. Those who were more closed-minded focused on the dangers of change and tended to support the status quo regardless of the videos they viewed.
The researchers concluded that a balanced approach works best for persuading open-minded people, while more close-minded people respond better to an approach that focuses on how mitigating climate change can preserve our economic status or lifestyle or gain independence from foreign oil.