Anxiety and Worry about Six Categories of Climate Change Impacts
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Categories of Climate Change Impacts and Consequences
1.2. Weather and Climate Impacts in the Media
1.3. Psychological Distance and Climate Change
1.4. Concern about Climate Change
1.5. Worry about Climate Change
1.6. Climate Change Anxiety
1.7. Research Questions
- In a sample of university students in the southeastern United States, to what extent did people express: a. concern, b. worry, or c. anxiety as their predominant response to the potential impacts of climate change that included: (1) The ability to work and earn a livelihood in the future; (2) Effects upon future generations of people; (3) The occurrence of apocalyptic weather and climate events; (4) Effects on the physical environment; (5) Effects upon the living environment; and (6) Societal responses to climate change? Relatedly, to what extent did people indicate that they are unconcerned and have never thought about these six impacts or consequences of climate change?
- To what extent were people’s responses to the six climate change impact areas related to measures of climate change worry, climate anxiety, and the perceived psychological distance from climate change? Further, to what extent is the willingness to engage in climate-sustainable behavior related to climate anxiety, worry, and psychological distance from climate change?
2. Study 1: Responses to Potential Climate Change Impacts
2.1. Materials and Methods
2.1.1. Participants and Procedures
2.1.2. Survey
2.1.3. Data Analysis
2.2. Results
2.2.1. Sample Characteristics
2.2.2. Psychological Responses to the Six Categories of Climate Change Impacts
2.2.3. Levels of Anxiety and Worry for the Categories of Climate Change Impacts
2.3. Discussion of Study 1
3. Study 2: Relationships of Climate Worry, Anxiety, and Psychological Distance with Responses to the Six Climate Change Impact Areas
3.1. Materials and Methods
3.1.1. Participants and Procedures
3.1.2. Survey Items and Measures
Climate Change Anxiety Scale (CCAS)
Climate Change Worry Scale (CCWS)
Psychological Distance from Climate Change (PDCC)
3.1.3. Data Analysis
3.2. Results
3.2.1. Sample Characteristics
3.2.2. Relationships of Climate Change Worry and Anxiety with Psychological Distance from Climate Change
3.2.3. Relationships of Climate Change Worry, Anxiety, and Psychological Distance with Responses to the Six Climate Change Impact Areas
3.3. Discussion of Study 2
4. General Discussion
Limitations
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Scale | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Psychological Distance from Climate Change (PDCC) | -- | ||||
2. Climate Change Anxiety Scale (CCAS) | −0.22 | -- | |||
3. CCAS—Behavioral Engagement | −0.40 | 0.17 | -- | ||
4. Climate Change Worry Scale (CCWS) | −0.55 | 0.45 | 0.42 | -- | |
5. Political Orientation | 0.30 | −0.14 * | −0.20 | −0.32 | -- |
Mean | 44.2 | 24.6 | 21.8 | 22.7 | 2.9 |
Variance | 118.0 | 45.7 | 21.2 | 87.2 | 8.4 |
Psychological Response to Climate Change Impact or Consequence Area (Percentage of 308 Respondents) | Climate Anxiety Scale | Climate Sustainable Behaviors | Climate Change Worry | Psych. Distance from Climate Change | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Livelihood and Work Ability | (15.6%) Worry | 0.06 | 0.00 | 0.36 * | −0.29 |
(3.9%) Anxiety | -- | -- | -- | -- | |
Impacts on Physical Environment | (40.9%) Worry | 0.11 | 0.15 | 0.40† | −0.37 † |
(6.8%) Anxiety | 0.36 | −0.28 | 0.30 | −0.15 | |
Occurrence of Apocalyptic Events | (31.8%) Worry | 0.12 | 0.09 | 0.47† | −0.46 † |
(6.5%) Anxiety | 0.49 | 0.00 | 0.24 | −0.06 | |
Impacts on Living Environment | (11.4%) Worry | 0.17 * | 0.25 * | 0.51 † | −0.39 † |
(8.8%) Anxiety | 0.48 * | 0.12 | 0.31 | −0.05 | |
Societal Responses toClimate Change | (38.6%) Worry | 0.11 | 0.26 * | 0.47 † | −0.38 † |
(8.8%) Anxiety | 0.23 | 0.05 | 0.18 | −0.18 | |
Impacts/Effects on Future Generations | (47.7%) Worry | 0.19 * | 0.21 * | 0.49 † | −0.42 † |
(9.7%) Anxiety | 0.12 | 0.04 | 0.34 | −0.19 |
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Stewart, A.E.; Chapman, H.E.; Davis, J.B.L. Anxiety and Worry about Six Categories of Climate Change Impacts. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21, 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21010023
Stewart AE, Chapman HE, Davis JBL. Anxiety and Worry about Six Categories of Climate Change Impacts. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2024; 21(1):23. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21010023
Chicago/Turabian StyleStewart, Alan E., Harrison E. Chapman, and Jackson B. L. Davis. 2024. "Anxiety and Worry about Six Categories of Climate Change Impacts" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 21, no. 1: 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21010023