We care, but delegate: Climate disasters and climate migration trigger concern, normative beliefs, and altruism – but not cooperation

Tommaso Capezzone (), Pierluigi Conzo (), Giulia Fuochi (), Roberto Zotti (), Laura Anfossi () and Cristina Onesta Mosso ()
Additional contact information
Tommaso Capezzone: Department of Economics and Statistics “Cognetti de Martiis”, University of Turin; Collegio Carlo Alberto
Pierluigi Conzo: Department of Economics and Statistics “Cognetti de Martiis”, University of Turin; Collegio Carlo Alberto, https://www.pieroconzo.altervista.org/wordpress/
Giulia Fuochi: FISPPA - Applied Psychology Dept., University of Padua, Padua (IT), https://www.unipd.it/en/contatti/rubrica/?detail=Y&ruolo=1&checkout=cerca&persona=FUOCHI&key=32E29E5AF14FA9356C07F36E5CB0FC51
Roberto Zotti: Department of Economics and Statistics “Cognetti de Martiis”, University of Turin, https://sites.google.com/view/roberto-zotti
Laura Anfossi: Chemistry Dept., University of University of Turin, Turin (IT), https://www.chimica.unito.it/do/docenti.pl/Alias?laura.anfossi
Cristina Onesta Mosso: Psychology Dept., University of Turin, Turin (IT)

Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers from University of Turin

Abstract: Despite growing awareness of climate change, individual action remains limited. We conducted two pre-registered experiments (one online with a representative sample, one in the laboratory with incentivized tasks) to examine whether framing climate risks as natural disasters – i.e., an immediate, unpredictable threat – or climate migration – i.e., a distant, gradual threat – in one’s own country fosters pro-environmental behavior, also identifying mechanisms behind the persistent intention–action gap. Exposure to nature risks increased personal normative beliefs, concern, and donations to environmental causes, but did not promote cooperation in settings prone to free-riding. Hormonal data revealed a defensive ‘flight’ response, suggesting risk avoidance in strategic contexts. Altruism emerged in non-competitive settings, but collective action remained limited by fear that others would not cooperate, prompting individuals to delegate responsibility to institutions. This tendency was especially pronounced among participants with high institutional trust, who, after exposure to climate risks, lowered their contributions and expectations in strategic settings, while increasing donations in non-strategic contexts.

Pages: 27
Date: 2025-07
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.est.unito.it/do/home.pl/Download?doc=/ ... 25dip/wp_11_2025.pdf (application/pdf)

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:uto:dipeco:202511

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers from University of Turin Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Laura Ballestra () and Cinzia Carlevaris ().