Here’s the Secret to Making People Care About Climate Change

Here’s a depressing statistic if you’re worried about climate change:  63 percent of Americans say they’re concerned about the issue, but only 47 percent think the government should do anything about it.

That divide, known as the “attitude-behavior” gap, isn’t all that uncommon.  And activists and politicians have tried all kinds of strategies to address it. They’ve appealed to people’s better nature (“Help save the children!”) and to their self-interest (“You’ll get a tax write-off!”).

Each of these methods can work under certain conditions, but both have their limitations.  What if there were a way to combine the best aspects of each — to use an appeal that simultaneously targets self-interest and our desire to help others in need?  Our research suggests a promising way to do just that — by encouraging people to consider their own future legacy.

Read more at Here’s the Secret to Making People Care About Climate Change