Effects of Morally Framed Messages and News Sources on Environmental Attitudes, Relative to Political Orientation

• In Event: Promoting Higher-Order Thinking Strategies in School Contexts

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of morally-framed messages and news sources on pro-environmental attitudes, relative to political orientation and metacognitive processing. Participants viewed one of four pro-environmental message conditions (Individualizing frame/CNN vs. Individualizing frame/FOX vs. Binding frame/CNN vs. Binding frame/FOX), responded to environmental attitude inventories (pre vs. post) and metacognitive measures. Results showed liberals holding more positive attitudes than conservatives. Only within the individualizing/FOX condition did environmental attitudes decrease regardless of political orientation. A mismatch between news source and political orientation is more relevant to Liberals, and a mismatch between moral frame and political orientation more relevant to Conservatives. Only cognitive reflection was significant, demonstrating that individuals are more likely to shift attitudes if they reflect on information they encounter.

Authors

• Gustavo Antonio Martir Luna, California State University - Chico

• Marie Lippmann, California State University - Chico

• Neil H. Schwartz, California State University - Chico