Influence of Morally Framed Messaging and Source Credibility on Environmental Attitudes

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 9
  In Poster Session: Social and Cultural Contexts in Learning and Instruction

Abstract

The present study assessed implicit and explicit environmental attitude change from pretest to posttest, as a function of political ideology, moral framing, and news source. Research has provided evidence that morally-framed messages can influence environmental attitudes. Moreover, how information is processed, centrally or peripherally, can dictate attitude change. Results show that after participants read an experimental news article that conveyed a pro-environmental message, their environmental attitudes decreased and became less favorable. When assessing explicit environmental attitude change as a function of political ideology, liberals had more favorable environmental attitudes than conservatives. Furthermore, when the source of the message was politically congruent with participants’ political ideology, the message yielded greater, positive environment attitudes. This effect was present among liberals, not conservatives.

Authors

• Gustavo Antonio Martir Luna, California State University - Chico

• Neil H. Schwartz, California State University - Chico