Examining Pre-existing Environmental Beliefs: Using a PSA to Investigate the Role of Self-Efficacy and Response Efficacy on Behavioral Intentions

ABSTRACT

Effectively communicating the issue of climate change and related threats can be challenging for climate scientists, practitioners, and scholars. Environmental messages are so prevalent in the everyday media landscape that audience members often-times do not give them adequate attention. One potential avenue to educate the public and explain the risks of climate change may be through Public Service Announcements (PSAs). A randomized experiment was conducted to test a model informed by Protection Motivation Theory. The model suggests that exposure to a climate change PSA (versus a no-message control) is positively associated with self-efficacy and response efficacy, which are in turn associated with pro-environmental behavioral intentions. Results indicate support for the proposed model among participants with low preexisting environmental beliefs, and a ceiling effect for those with high beliefs. Counter to expectations, a reinforcement effect was observed; the PSA had a negative effect on those with unfavorable preexisting beliefs. Implications for environmental communication theory and message design are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Protection motivation theory
• reinforcement theory
• climate change
• environmental communication
• efficacy

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Adam M. Rainear

Adam M. Rainea(PhD, University of Connecticut) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and Media at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. His research examines how humans communicate using new technology tools in risk and crisis scenarios, such as during major weather events.

John L. Christensen

John L. Christensen(PhD, University of Southern California) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Connecticut. His research is focused on changing unhealthy attitudes, emotions, and behavior through the use of persuasive communication technologies. He is particularly interested in creating immersive video games and artificially intelligent virtual humans that reduce risk-taking and stigma-related stress among racial minority and LGBT populations.