Bridging ideologies: analyzing the use of moral language and framing in social media discourse on climate change by U.S. congress members through computational approaches

Yunya Song, Jonathon P. Schuldt, Yin Zhang, Ziwei Wang (), Y. Connie Yuan, Sheng Zou and Jun Li
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Yunya Song: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Jonathon P. Schuldt: Cornell University
Yin Zhang: Hong Kong Baptist University
Ziwei Wang: Hong Kong Baptist University
Y. Connie Yuan: Cornell University
Sheng Zou: Hong Kong Baptist University
Jun Li: Fudan University

Climatic Change, 2025, vol. 178, issue 3, No 23, 20 pages

Abstract: Abstract The discourse on climate change transcends scientific discussions and policy debates, often incorporating moral language and ethical considerations. This study explores framing strategies in political persuasion and the underlying moral foundations associated with climate change by combining computational methods and critical discourse analysis of tweets from 111th-117th U.S. Congresses members. The aim is to map out the bipartisan trends in the use of moral language and framing concerning climate change issues, thereby enriching the understanding of public opinion dynamics and the evolving partisan divide on climate action. Our findings reveal an intensifying partisan polarization in framing. Contrary to the expected moral divide, we uncover a bipartisan agreement on the moral foundation of care and fairness, and a consistent cross-party employment of moral language associated with frames over time. The interplay between generic frames and moral foundations suggests the potential for collective action on climate change across the political spectrum.

Keywords: Climate change; U.S. Congress; Framing; Moral foundations theory; Computational methods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s10584-025-03898-4

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