Cognition, emotion, and belief in the adaptation response of older people to heatwaves

Elisabeth Bourgeois, Dorothée Charlier and David Grover

Climate Policy, 2025, vol. 25, issue 7, 1061-1074

Abstract: Heat-related illness and mortality is far more common in older people than in younger people. Current explanations for this tend to focus on older people’s physiological characteristics, like the presence of pre-existing cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. This research explores whether cognitive, emotional, and belief-related characteristics may constitute an additional source of heat-related vulnerability in older people. A survey of 300 older people in mainland France measured these inner states and elicited stated responses to hypothetical moderate (33°C) and severe (36°C) heat risk scenarios. Using latent class and regression analyses, distinct adaptation profiles are identified. Evidence is found of significant associations between emotional, cognitive, and belief-related variables on the one hand, and on the other, both perceived health risk and the extent of adaptive behaviour. Respondents engaged in greater adaptation action the stronger their emotional response to the heat risk scenario, and the more likely they believe real heat risk events are to occur. Respondents with faster cognitive processing or higher optimism perceived less health risk. These findings suggest that current heat risk warning systems could be improved by accounting for ‘invisible’ internal state factors in older people, alongside standard physiological vulnerabilities.Older people are much more vulnerable to heat-related illness and mortality than younger peopleExplanations for this usually relate to physiological vulnerabilities, like cardiovascular and respiratory problemsA survey of 300 older adults living in France measured respondents’ cognition, emotion, and beliefs (‘inner states’) directly, and described two heat risk scenariosInner states predict both stated adaptation effort to, and perceived health impact of, the heat risk scenarios, even after accounting for physiological and factorsHeat risk warning systems might mitigate more heat-related illness and mortality by sensitizing heat risk communications to older people’s inner states

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/14693062.2025.2514106

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