Meta-analyses of factors motivating climate change adaptation behaviour

Anne M. van Valkengoed () and Linda Steg
Additional contact information
Anne M. van Valkengoed: University of Groningen
Linda Steg: University of Groningen

Nature Climate Change, 2019, vol. 9, issue 2, 158-163

Abstract: Abstract Adaptation behaviour is of critical importance to reduce or avoid negative impacts of climate change. Many studies have examined which factors motivate individuals to adapt. However, a comprehensive overview of the key motivating factors of various adaptation behaviours is lacking. Here, we conduct a series of meta-analyses using data from 106 studies (90 papers) conducted in 23 different countries to examine how 13 motivational factors relate to various adaptation behaviours. Descriptive norms, negative affect, perceived self-efficacy and outcome efficacy of adaptive actions were most strongly associated with adaptive behaviour. In contrast, knowledge and experience, which are often assumed to be key barriers to adaptation, were relatively weakly related to adaptation. Research has disproportionally focused on studying experience and risk perception, flooding and hurricanes, and preparedness behaviours, while other motivational factors, hazards and adaptive behaviours have been understudied. These results point to important avenues for future research.

Date: 2019
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (83)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-018-0371-y Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcli:v:9:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1038_s41558-018-0371-y

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/nclimate/

DOI: 10.1038/s41558-018-0371-y

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Climate Change is currently edited by Bronwyn Wake

More articles in Nature Climate Change from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().