Degrowth or Not Degrowth: The Importance of Message Frames for Characterizing the New Economy

Maria Fernanda Tomaselli, Robert Kozak, Robert Gifford and Stephen R.J. Sheppard

Ecological Economics, 2021, vol. 183, issue C

Abstract: Moving to a post-growth economic paradigm requires research to identify compelling ways to more effectively communicate the key ideas of this transition to the public. This study uses framing theory to examine the effects of four message frames about transitioning to an economic paradigm not centered on economic growth. The four message frames were: environmental gain, environmental loss, well-being gain and well-being loss. The environmental loss frame generated more negative emotions, while the well-being gain frame produced more agreement with the message and more positive emotional reactions. While this study did not find evidence that the frames influenced participant's attitudes, it did confirm that the messages elicited frame-consistent thoughts, pointing to the importance of being strategic and deliberate in the frames selected for communicating post-growth ideas to the public. This study also examined initial reactions towards different economic terms that are increasingly being used to describe this transition. We found that the green economy was perceived as favourably as economic growth, indicating public support towards macroeconomic models that embed sustainability objectives. The appeal of terms like sustainable degrowth were more nuanced and mixed than what is usually suggested in academic debates.

Keywords: Message framing; Post-growth communication; Environmental frame; Well-being frame; Economic terms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:183:y:2021:i:c:s0921800921000100

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.106952

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