The evidence for motivated reasoning in climate change preference formation

James N. Druckman () and Mary C. McGrath
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James N. Druckman: Northwestern University
Mary C. McGrath: Northwestern University

Nature Climate Change, 2019, vol. 9, issue 2, 111-119

Abstract: Abstract Despite a scientific consensus, citizens are divided when it comes to climate change — often along political lines. Democrats or liberals tend to believe that human activity is a primary cause of climate change, whereas Republicans or conservatives are much less likely to hold this belief. A prominent explanation for this divide is that it stems from directional motivated reasoning: individuals reject new information that contradicts their standing beliefs. In this Review, we suggest that the empirical evidence is not so clear, and is equally consistent with a theory in which citizens strive to form accurate beliefs but vary in what they consider to be credible evidence. This suggests a new research agenda on climate change preference formation, and has implications for effective communication.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41558-018-0360-1

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