Overcoming pluralistic ignorance: Brief exposure to positive thoughts and actions of others can enhance social norms related to climate action and support for climate policy
Abstract
Delivering effective messages is critical to creating a more sustainable and resilient culture. The explosion of social media has enhanced information access but has often reinforced and polarized pre-existing viewpoints and norms. In contrast, digital signs are an "in your face in your space" technology that has the potential to deliver common content to a diverse local audience. Environmental Dashboard (ED) is a communications platform and set of content applications that combines information on current environmental conditions, real-time resource consumption, positive actions being taken by community members, and a community calendar. We conducted a longitudinal study to assess whether ED content delivered via digital signs in public locations would result in desirable psychological changes within a community. Participants completed surveys in six designated signage locations prior to installation (N = 174) and following two years of continuous exposure (N = 133). We observed: increases in pro-environmental social norms among people of color (a demographic emphasized); enhanced awareness of and sense of connection with the local community and ecology; increased self-reported electricity conservation; and increased perception of youth engagement (another demographic emphasized). Changes were mediated by exposure to digital signage. These findings support the hypothesis that content delivered through digital signs can strengthen pro-environmental and pro-social culture within communities.
Full text
Page 1 of 16 Survey for Overcoming Pluralistic Ignorance Bryn Kearney, John Petersen, Cynthia McPherson Frantz Start of Block: Consent Form Intro_T1 Welcome! Thank you for your interest in participating in our study! This survey is part of a larger research project conducted by students and faculty at Oberlin College. We are interested in getting feedback on one component of a display that will appear on public display screens in many communities. This study will take no more than 15 minutes. You will be compensated for your participation In this study, you will be asked to answer questions about your beliefs and concerns. You may or may not see a series of slides that show pictures and quotes. You may or may not be asked to answer additional questions regarding components of the displays. You must be 18 years or older to participate in this study. There are no known risks associated with your participation in this research study. The answers and information you provide in this study will remain confidential. Should the data be published, no individual information will be disclosed. Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. You are free to decline to answer any particular question you do not wish to answer for any reason, and you are free to discontinue participation completely at any point for any reason and still receive payment. We recommend that you print a copy of this consent form for your records. If you have any additional questions about the study, please contact Dr. Cindy Frantz, at [email protected] or 440-775-8499. For questions concerning the rights of human subjects, please contact Dr. Michael Parkin, Chair of Oberlin College's Institutional Review Board, at [email protected] or 440-775-8410. consent I affirm that I am 18 years or older, and that I consent to participate in this research. o Yes, I consent (1) o No, I do not consent (2) Skip To: End of Survey If I affirm that I am 18 years or older, and that I consent to participate in this research. = No, I do not consent Page Break
Page 2 of 16 Prolific ID What is your Prolific ID? Please note that this response should auto-fill with the correct ID ________________________________________________________________ End of Block: Consent Form Start of Block: No Exposure Start of Block: Pro-Social CV Exposure gencvtext This video displays a series of 12 slides featuring content produced from interviews with real people in Northeast Ohio (Cuyahoga, Medina, Lake, Geauga, and Lorain counties). Each slide features a quote, image, and attribution. Each slide will be displayed for 15 seconds, and the video will last 3 minutes. You will be asked a series of questions in response to the video. You will not be able to continue to the questions until you have watched the video. Please click the link here to watch the video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XvE0PzHWQ_CVeKubbpWC6uRrOhoBOPL/view?usp=sharing genCVtimer Timing First Click (1) Last Click (2) Page Submit (3) Click Count (4) Page Break
Page 3 of 16 genslidecheck Which of the following was depicted in the slideshow you just watched? o a goose (0) o children (1) o a doctor (0) o a windmill (0) End of Block: Pro-Social CV Exposure Start of Block: CA CV Exposure CACVtext This video displays a series of 12 slides featuring content produced from interviews with real people in Northeast Ohio (Cuyahoga, Medina, Lake, Geauga, and Lorain counties) that focus on climate action. Each slide features a quote, image, and attribution. Each slide will be displayed for 15 seconds, and the video will last 3 minutes. You will be asked a series of questions in response to the video. You will not be able to continue to the questions until you have watched the video. Please click the link here to watch the video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hbu_6kGcJO5qumFrMDiJRSBNxlyMRRr/view?usp=sharing CACVtimer Timing First Click (1) Last Click (2) Page Submit (3) Click Count (4) Page Break
Page 4 of 16 caslidecheck Which of the following was depicted in the slideshow you just watched? o a doctor (0) o a police officer (1) o a goose (0) o a windmill (0) End of Block: CA CV Exposure Start of Block: Norms
Page 5 of 16 Norms Using the scale below, please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements Strongly disagree (1) Somewhat disagree (2) Neither agree nor disagree (3) Somewhat agree (4) Agree (5) I am aware of what others think about climate change (2) o o o o o People in my community are at least somewhat worried about climate change (3) o o o o o People in my community are taking action to to address climate change (4) o o o o o I think it is important to address climate change (5) o o o o o People have a responsibility to protect the environment for future generations (6) o o o o o People in my community are not as concerned by climate change as me (10) o o o o o
Page 6 of 16 People in my community do not support the government taking action to address climate change (11) o o o o o End of Block: Norms Start of Block: PsycDistance
Page 7 of 16 PsycDist Using the scale below, please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements Strongly disagree (1) Somewhat disagree (2) Neither agree nor disagree (3) Somewhat agree (4) Strongly agree (5) Serious effects of climate change will mostly occur in communities far away from here (1) o o o o o Serious effects of climate change will occur in my local community (2) o o o o o I don't see myself as someone who will experience the effects of climate change (4) o o o o o My family and I will experience the effects of climate change (6) o o o o o End of Block: PsycDistance Start of Block: ECAS
Page 8 of 16 ECAS Using the scale below, please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements Strongly disagree (1) Somewhat disagree (2) Neither agree nor disagree (3) Somewhat agree (4) Strongly agree (5) It is easy to imagine a world where we no longer use fossil fuels (2) o o o o o I can imagine a world where politicians take effective action to address climate change (6) o o o o o I can think of numerous methods of achieving a world where carbon emissions are reduced below current levels (7) o o o o o When I imagine what an ecologically sustainable existence for humans would be like, I can picture it in detail (15) o o o o o End of Block: ECAS Start of Block: Emotions
Page 9 of 16 CCemotions How strongly do you feel each of the following emotions when you think about the issue of climate change? Not at all (1) Slightly (2) Moderately (3) Strongly (4) Guilty (1) o o o o Angry (3) o o o o Betrayed (6) o o o o Hopeful (7) o o o o Brave (9) o o o o Resilient (10) o o o o Sad (11) o o o o Afraid (14) o o o o Optimistic (17) o o o o End of Block: Emotions Start of Block: Human Efficacy
Page 16 of 16 End of Block: Demographics Start of Block: Thank You Q18 Thank you for your participation! Please click here or copy and paste the code below in Prolific to receive payment. C1H7BN4X The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of exposure to pro-environmental messages focused on climate action. Some of you were not exposed to any slides. Some of you were exposed to slide shows focused on climate action. The rest were exposed to slide shows that had no content focus. End of Block: Thank You