“Global Warming” vs. “Climate Change”: The Influence of Terminology on Beliefs and Affective Imagery

• In Event: Public Understanding of Climate Change: From Misperceptions to Engagement

Abstract

While scientists prefer the term "climate change" to "global warming," the latter is still widely used in public discourse, and communicators question which term is more strategically effective. We examine the holistic affect and cognitive images Americans associate with each term, as well as the impact of these terms on climate change beliefs and risk perceptions. Americans are more likely to rate “global warming” as a bad thing than “climate change.” “Global warming” evokes more alarmist and naysayer images, while “climate change” evokes more associations with weather, particularly among those who are undecided about the issue. We find some differences among people with different political orientations and between Six Americas segments across key beliefs. We conclude that “climate change” may be the better term to use with the general public, but there may be times when communicators prefer to use “global warming” with specific audiences.

Authors

• Ashley A Anderson, Colorado State U

• Nicholas Smith, U College London

• Emily K Vraga, George Mason U

• Connie Roser-Renouf, Center for Climate Change Communication

• Edward Maibach, George Mason U

• Anthony Leiserowitz, Yale U