A new study by a team of scholars associated with the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) sheds light on how media consumption can influence beliefs about human-caused climate change. The research found that exposure to far-right media, such as Fox News, was correlated with negative beliefs in anthropogenic climate change, while exposure to centrist and science media was associated with positive beliefs in climate change, personal threat perceptions, and support for a carbon tax.
The paper titled “The Politicization of Climate Science: Media Consumption, Perceptions of Science and Scientists, and Support for Policy,” was published in the Journal of Health Communication. The research team was led by Yotam Ophir from APPC.
The study’s results highlight the importance of understanding how messages and narratives about climate science and scientists in the media environment can impact individuals’ beliefs. Prior research has mostly focused on centrist media and Fox News, but this study aimed to provide a more comprehensive analysis of media effects on climate change beliefs.
According to Ophir, the lead author of the study, the previous research only scratched the surface by looking at Fox News viewership and climate change beliefs. This new study delves deeper into the complexities of media consumption and its impact on individuals’ perceptions of climate science.
