| Popis: |
Denying climate change can take many forms, ranging on a spectrum from outright denial of facts (literal denial), over re-interpretation or distortion of facts (interpretive denial, e.g., denial of personal and global outcome severity), to the acknowledgement of facts but denial of their implications (implicatory denial, e.g., avoidance, denial of guilt, rationalization of own involvement). This study aimed at 1) exploring potential distinct profiles within the spectrum of climate denial and self-protection and 2) investigating relations with right-wing ideological conviction and gender (established predictors) but also need satisfaction and value orientation. Analysis of a German quota sample (N=1007) revealed the following: Participants differed in the extent to which they endorsed all types of climate-denial and self-protection but there were no distinct profiles of climate denial and self-protection in the data, according to latent profile analysis. As pre-registered, structural equation modelling revealed that people who reported right-wing ideological convictions reported more climate denial and self-protection along the spectrum of denial but especially literal and interpretive denial. Absence of need satisfaction and male gender were significant additional but weaker predictors of implicatory denial. Future research should employ longitudinal, experimental, mixed-methods designs to further disentangle the underlying mechanisms and functionality of climate denial. |
