Perceptions of Powerlessness Are Negatively Associated with Taking Action on Climate Change: A Preregistered Replication

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dc.citation.issue4
dc.citation.volume12
dc.contributor.authorWilliams MN
dc.contributor.authorJaftha BA
dc.date.available2020-12-02
dc.date.issued2020-12-02
dc.description“Final publication is available from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/eco.2020.0012]”
dc.description
dc.description.abstractDespite segments of skepticism, the majority of the general public in most countries believe that climate change is occurring and caused by human activities. Behavior changes by individuals can reduce greenhouse gas emissions to at least some extent, but a range of psychological and economic barriers can prevent individuals from taking action. A survey of New Zealanders by Aitken, Chapman, and McClure (2011) reported that belief in human influence on climate change and the risks of climate change were positively correlated with taking action on climate change. Conversely, perceptions of powerlessness and the commons dilemma were negatively correlated with taking action on climate change. Feeling powerless was associated with placing less importance on climate change as an influence on actions. Although the study by Aitken et al. has been influential, it was exploratory in nature, had a moderate sample size, was not preregistered, and has not previously been replicated. In this study, we report a preregistered replication with a sample of 352 Australians testing four hypotheses based on Aitken et al.'s findings (as summarized above). All four hypotheses were supported, reproducing Aitken et al.'s key findings
dc.description.confidentialfalse
dc.edition.editionDecember 2020
dc.format.extent257 - 266
dc.identifierhttps://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/eco.2020.0012
dc.identifier.citationEcopsychology, 2020, December 2020, 12 (4), pp. 257 - 266
dc.identifier.doi10.1089/eco.2020.0012
dc.identifier.eissn1942-9347
dc.identifier.elements-id433228
dc.identifier.harvestedMassey_Dark
dc.languageEnglish
dc.provenanceSet statement to accompany deposit Must link to published article with DOI Must acknowledge published source with citation Must not be updated or replaced with article of record unless author pays for Open Access
dc.publisherMary Ann Liebert, Inc
dc.publisher.urihttps://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/eco.2020.0012
dc.relation.isPartOfEcopsychology
dc.relation.replaceshttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/22795
dc.relation.replaces123456789/22795
dc.subjectClimate change
dc.subjectPowerlessness
dc.subjectCommons dilemma
dc.subjectBehavior change
dc.subjectEcopsychology
dc.subjectConservation psychology
dc.subject.anzsrc1117 Public Health and Health Services
dc.subject.anzsrc1701 Psychology
dc.titlePerceptions of Powerlessness Are Negatively Associated with Taking Action on Climate Change: A Preregistered Replication
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.notesNot known
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University/College of Humanities and Social Sciences
pubs.organisational-group/Massey University/College of Humanities and Social Sciences/School of Psychology
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