bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

17
Fifty shades of green: The effects of message framing in policy communication on climate change Mauro Bertolotti Patrizia Catellani

Upload: patriziacatellani

Post on 19-Jun-2015

51 views

Category:

Social Media


0 download

DESCRIPTION

EASP, European Association of Social Psychology

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Fifty shades of green:The effects of message framing in policy communication on climate change

Mauro BertolottiPatrizia Catellani

Page 2: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

Changing climate, changing attitudes?

Social psychology has been studying people's understanding of climate change and their attitudes primarily in an individual and behavioural perspective.

Action against climate change requires collective effort in addition to individual commitment.

How can we influence citizens' attitudes towards climate change policies and increase public support for them?

Page 3: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

Message framing on climate change policies Frames select and organise information, providing it a

meaningful interpretation (Entman, 1993; Scheufele, 1999).

The framing of issues and policies by the media has been investigated by research on political communication (Chong & Druckman, 2007; De Vreese, 2005;

Hulme, 2008).

The effects of message framing on attitudes have been initially investigated in terms of positive (gain) and negative (loss) framing (e.g., Tversky & Kahneman,

1981).

Page 4: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

Message framing and self-regulation

Recent developments (Cesario et al., 2013) connect the effects of framing to receivers' behavioural regulation system.

Regulatory focus (Higgins, 1997, 1998) is the individual orientation to achieve positive outcomes (promotion focus) or avoid negative outcomes (prevention focus).

Regulatory fit (Cesario et al., 2004; Higgins et al., 2002) derives from the interaction of multiple levels of framing and receivers' individual orientation:

Hedonic consequences Outcome sensitivity Regulatory concern Goal-pursuit strategy

Page 5: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

Framing climate change policiesGoal-pursuit strategies

How do we act against global warming and climate change?

Eager approach Vigilant avoidance

Investing in clean energy sources

Reducing reliance on fossil fuels

Page 6: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

Framing climate change policies

Regulatory concerns

What basic need will the policy affect?

Growth concern Safety concern

Goal-pursuit strategies

How do we act against global warming and climate change?

Eager approach Vigilant avoidance

Foster economic growthTechnological advancement

Safety of human activitiesCoping with extreme climatic conditions

Page 7: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

Framing climate change policies

Outcome sensitivities

What is the desired outcome of the policy?

Attaining positive outcomes Avoiding negative outcomes

Regulatory concerns

What basic need will the policy affect?

Growth concern Safety concern

Goal-pursuit strategies

How do we act against global warming and climate change?

Eager approach Vigilant avoidance

More affordable energyObtain better climatic conditions

Less expensive energyAvoid worse climatic conditions

Page 8: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

Research questionsHow do we apply different levels of framing

to communication on climate change policies?

Do different levels of framing and their interaction affect the persuasiveness of messages?

Does receivers' promotion vs. prevention focus moderate the effectiveness of message framing?

Do these preferences reflect on vote choice?

Page 9: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

MethodTwo online studies (N = 95; N = 66) with student participants (77.5 % females, age M = 24.5).

Independent variables: Goal-pursuit strategy of the policy Regulatory concern of the message Outcome sensitivity of the message

Measured variables: Initial attitudes towards the policies Agreement with the policy messages Voting intention

Individual regulatory focus scale (Lockwood et al., 2002)

Page 10: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

Stimuli

Outcome Sensitivity

Regulatory Concern

Achievement of Positive Outcomes

Avoidance of Negative Outcomes

Growth Concern“…we will obtain a positive

return on the economic development.”

“…we will avoid a negative impact on the economic

development.”

     

Safety Concern “…we will obtain a reduction of energy costs.”

“…we will avoid an increase of energy costs.”

Eager Approach Strategy: “If we invest in renewable energy sources like solar and wind power…”

• To what extent do you agree with the statement you have just read?

• Would you vote for a politician making this statement?

Page 11: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

Stimuli

Outcome Sensitivity

Regulatory Concern

Achievement of Positive Outcomes

Avoidance of Negative Outcomes

Growth Concern “…we will obtain better climatic conditions.”

“…we will avoid worse climatic conditions.”

     

Safety Concern“…we will obtain a reduction

of the negative effects of natural disasters.”

“…we will avoid an increase of the negative effects of

natural disasters.”

Vigilant Avoidance Strategy: “If we intervene on the emissions of greenhouse gases responsible of global warming…”

• To what extent do you agree with the statement you have just read?

• Would you vote for a politician making this statement?

Page 12: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

Agreement as a function of outcome sensitivity and regulatory concern

Attainment of Positive Outcomes

Avoidance of Negative Outcomes

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0Renewable Energy Policy

Growth Concern

Safety Concern

Page 13: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

Agreement as a function of outcome sensitivity and regulatory concern

Attainment of Positive Outcomes

Avoidance of Negative Outcomes

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0Greenhouse gas emissions policy

Growth Concern

Safety Concern

Page 14: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Voting intention as a function of message framing

Attainment of Positive Out-

comes

Avoidance of Negative Outcomes

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0Renewable Energy Policy

Attainment of Positive Out-

comes

Avoidance of Negative Outcomes

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0Greenhouse Gas Emissions Policy

Page 15: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

Agreement as a function of outcome sensitivity and regulatory focus

Attainment of Positive Out-

comes

Avoidance of Negative Outcomes

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 Renewable Energy Policy

Promotion FocusPrevention Focus

Page 16: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

Agreement as a function of outcome sensitivity and regulatory focus

Attainment of Positive Outcomes

Avoidance of Negative Outcomes

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Policy

Promotion Focus

Prevention Focus

Page 17: Bertolotti catellani fifty shades of green easp

Bertolotti & Catellani

ConclusionsFrom sugaring the pill... Support for climate change policies can be increased

by coherent framing of policy messages. Messages whose outcome sensitivity fits with

receivers' individual regulatory focus are even more persuasive.

...to empowering citizens Who is responsible for acting against climate change? Is prefactual communication beneficial?

Bertolotti, M., & Catellani, P. (in press). Effects of message framing in policy communication on climate change. European Journal of Social Psychology.