2020 Volume 46 Issue 1 Pages 2-17
Even if there is sufficient information on climate change issues, the importance of social change will not increase. This state is called the “psychological climate paradox”, and it is required to reconsider the way climate communication works in response to the psychological barriers that create it. Since barriers differ depending on the country and culture, it is necessary to grasp the actual situation.
This study conducted an Internet survey on climate change issues and countermeasures in Japan and organized the current state of Japan from the results of structural equation modeling and non-hierarchical cluster analysis. In particular, we focused on cognitive dissonance that is one of the barriers.
As a result, the following points became clear. First, regardless of the area of residence or gender, many people view climate change measures as “with patience such as indoor heat and cold”. Second, the attitude toward a decarbonized society is defined by a sense of responsibility based on ethics and how to take into account the impact of measures on the economy. Improving the comfort and convenience of living and decarbonizing society is not associated. Third, there are a certain number of groups that have barriers “denial”. This group has significantly more 30s and men. Fourth, the group that has a sense of climate crisis but the group that perceives the negative impact of countermeasures accounts for the largest proportion, and the group has significantly more 40s. The support of decarbonized society is significantly lower than the positive group, the psychological climate paradox is linked with the framing or cognitive dissonance.
Even if communication that raises the sense of crisis with barriers is held, the recognition of the social importance of creating a decarbonized society will not increase, and conversely, refusal may increase. We think that it is necessary to conduct climate communication based on the psychological climate paradox theory and the actual situation in Japan.
