their scientific knowledge , particularly emotions and collective identities .
Therefore , climate change communication must take into account the emotions and collective identities upon which people depend to inform their decision-making . The importance of these factors on climate change learning and the argument for focusing climate change communication on increasing collective efficacy follows .
Emotions are also a powerful influence on how people respond to information about climate change . For example , the counterproductive effect of prevalent ‘ doom and gloom ’ messages about climate change has been widely documented . Dire messages and tragic imagery , such as lonesome polar bears trapped on shrinking ice floes , tend to demotivate and promote disengagement from the issue , and in some cases can even decrease people ’ s belief that climate change is a problem at all . For learners who are working to apply new knowledge in real-life contexts , communication that evokes dread , fear , or guilt must be accompanied by clear options for action .
It is my view that climate change must be addressed by people at the collective level . Communication experts must appreciate and embrace the fact that learning is a shared process that taps into people ’ s collective identities . Collective identity is a set of values or beliefs that are empowering to those who identify with and share them .
The importance of ideology on people ’ s opinions cannot be understated . Ideology strongly influences which information sources people are likely to trust .
This means that ideology as a form of collective identity can have a strong impact on whether or not people perceive there to be scientific consensus regarding the seriousness and urgency of climate change , which has also been shown to be an important influence on how people respond to climate change .
The most important feature of communication that seeks to invoke effective responses to climate change is the promotion of collective efficacy .
Whether or not people possess factual knowledge about climate change does not make any difference if they lack collective efficacy . People who are knowledgeable about climate science and what they can do in response may fail to act because they know individual actions make no significant impact in mitigating or adapting to global climate change .
Collective efficacy encompasses people ’ s emotions , knowledge , and identity as they relate to their community , all of which have been demonstrated to be important predictors of and influencers of climatefriendly behavior .
If people feel like their communities can be effective in responding to climate change , then they will be empowered to respond collectively at a scale commensurate with the problem and appropriate to communities ’ unique needs and situations .
Irene Mbonge is the Group Head , Corporate Communication & Public Affairs at CPF Group . You can commune with her on this or related issues via mail at : Mbonge . Irene @ gmail . com .
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