ISTPP Senior Fellow Jeryl L. Mumpower, Research Scientist Xinsheng Liu and Director Arnold Vedlitz recently published their article, “Predictors of the Perceived Risk of Climate Change and Preferred Resource Levels for Climate Change Management Programs,” in Journal of Risk Research.
Using data from ISTPP’s 2013 US National Public Climate Change Survey, the researchers analyze five psychometric variables associated with climate change – dread, scientist’s level of understanding, public’s level of understanding, number affected, and the likelihood of occurrence of six threats associated with climate change. Responses for the threats, such as sea-level rise and increased flooding, were combined because they did not vary significantly. Respondents also rated their perceived risk and indicated the level of resources they believed should be invested in management programs to address these climate change threats. Each of the five psychometric variables are significant predictors of perceived risk. Perceived risk also strongly predicts resource level support. The researchers also demonstrate that risk perceptions of climate change and policy preferences among related management options are highly predictable as a function of demographic, knowledge, environmental values, and psychometric variables. The psychometric variables are the strongest predictors.
Jeryl L. Mumpower, Xinsheng Liu and Arnold Vedlitz. 2015. “Predictors of the Perceived Risk of Climate Change and Preferred Resource Levels for Climate Change Management Programs.” Journal of Risk Research. DOI: 10.1080/13669877.2015.1043567
