Freminot Ken, Major-Smith Katie, Northstone Kate, Halstead Isaac, Major-Smith Daniel
Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
Sustainability, Creativity and Innovation Research Group, Plymouth Marjon University, Plymouth, United Kingdom.
Eur J Psychol. 2024 Nov 29;20(4):288-302. doi: 10.5964/ejop.13657. eCollection 2024 Nov.
Anthropogenic climate change is an existential threat to both humans and wider biodiversity. However, cumulatively, individuals' actions can help to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Understanding the factors which shape individuals' beliefs about climate change, and their environmental behaviours, is therefore crucial. Here, we explore whether individual differences-Big-5 personality traits and cognitive ability-are associated with climate beliefs and behaviours, using longitudinal data from a UK birth cohort study. Individual differences were measured when the participants were teenagers (aged 13 to 15 years), with climate beliefs and behaviours assessed at approximately age 30 years. These climate beliefs and behaviours included: belief that the climate is changing, concern over climate change, whether humans are to blame for climate change, whether individual actions can mitigate climate change, and whether they were undertaking a range of pro-environmental behaviours for climate reasons (e.g., reducing air travel, reducing meat/dairy consumption). Regression models were used to explore the associations between individual differences and climate belief and behaviour outcomes, adjusting for a range of relevant sociodemographic confounders. Overall, we found consistent positive associations between agreeableness, openness to experience and cognitive ability scores and environmental knowledge and action. Weaker, and more inconsistent, associations were reported for extraversion, conscientiousness and emotional stability. These results suggest that individual differences may shape an individual's beliefs and actions regarding climate change, and potentially indicates groups where climate information campaigns could be targeted.
人为气候变化对人类和更广泛的生物多样性构成了生存威胁。然而，总体而言，个人行动有助于减轻气候变化的影响。因此，了解影响个人对气候变化的信念及其环境行为的因素至关重要。在此，我们利用英国一个出生队列研究的纵向数据，探讨个体差异——大五人格特质和认知能力——是否与气候信念和行为相关。个体差异是在参与者为青少年（13至15岁）时进行测量的，气候信念和行为则在大约30岁时进行评估。这些气候信念和行为包括：相信气候正在变化、对气候变化的担忧、人类是否应为气候变化负责、个人行动是否能减轻气候变化，以及他们是否出于气候原因采取一系列环保行为（例如，减少航空旅行、减少肉类/乳制品消费）。回归模型用于探讨个体差异与气候信念和行为结果之间的关联，并对一系列相关的社会人口学混杂因素进行了调整。总体而言，我们发现宜人性、经验开放性和认知能力得分与环境知识和行动之间存在一致的正相关。外向性、尽责性和情绪稳定性的关联较弱且更不一致。这些结果表明，个体差异可能会塑造个人对气候变化的信念和行动，并可能指出气候信息宣传活动可以针对的群体。
