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Denial in the Anthropocene: Climate Change Beliefs and Self Control

Smith, Adam J
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1710704438054409

Abstract Details

2024, Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, Sociology.
A recent report released by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication found that only 61% of Americans believe that “global warming is mostly human-caused.” Moreover, a recent analysis from the Center for American Progress (2021) uncovered that 139 elected officials in the 117th Congress do not endorse or express concerns about the scientific validity of anthropogenic climate change. However, Powell (2017) examined 11,602 peer-reviewed articles examining anthropogenic climate change and found 100% consensus from the world’s leading scientists. Few studies have applied a theoretical perspective rooted in criminology to quantitatively analyze why individuals deny anthropogenic climate change. To address this gap in the research, I apply Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) theory of self-control to anthropogenic climate change beliefs (ACCB). Additionally, I test whether education moderates the relationship between self-control and ACCB. This exploratory research employed original data collection by sampling respondents from CloudResearch’s Connect platform in 2023 (n = 648). Results from the multivariate analyses show that self-control is not significantly associated with ACCB, nor does education moderate the relationship between self-control and ACCB. However, a significant association (p < .001) between Akers’ (1998) social learning theory and ACCB was uncovered. Further research should analyze the four core elements (i.e., differential association, definitions, differential reinforcement, and imitation) of Akers’ (1998) social learning theory to better understand the intricacies and drivers of these learned beliefs.
Thomas Mowen, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
John Boman, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Stephen Demuth, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
151 p.
Sociology
Environmental Attitudes; Climate Change; Climate Beliefs; Climate Change Denialism; Theory of Self-Control; Social Learning Theory; Cognitive Deviance;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Smith, A. J. (2024). Denial in the Anthropocene: Climate Change Beliefs and Self Control [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1710704438054409

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Smith, Adam. Denial in the Anthropocene: Climate Change Beliefs and Self Control. 2024. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1710704438054409.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Smith, Adam. "Denial in the Anthropocene: Climate Change Beliefs and Self Control." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2024. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1710704438054409

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

bgsu1710704438054409
332
© 2024, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.
Release 3.2.12