Populists, Pope Francis, and Scientists: A Study of the Conditional Effects of Elite Climate Messengers in an Anti-Elitist Time

• In Event: Psychology and Emotions in Climate Change Communication

Abstract

Investigating the role of different types of elite messengers in shaping public opinion about climate change policy in an era of anti-elitist sentiment is an important empirical endeavor for advancing theory in environmental and political communication. This is particularly so because longitudinal analyses have demonstrated that elite cues are one of the most important factors in predicting public concern about climate change. Yet little is known about how climate advocacy from two different but prominent elite messengers (Pope Francis or scientific organizations) might intersect with both the populist and political ideologies audiences bring to climate messages to affect emotional responses and policy support. To address this issue, we conducted a two-condition online between-subjects experiment (N = 406). The results revealed that the Pope was a more effective elite messenger for some types of audiences, and that anger, fear, and compassion were key emotional mechanisms shaping post-message policy attitudes.

Author

• Jessica Gall Myrick, Pennsylvania State U