Is There a Climate “Spiral of Silence” in America? - Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Most Americans say global warming is personally important to them, but don’t talk or hear about it much.

Our surveys have repeatedly shown that most Americans are interested in the issue of global warming and consider it personally important.  Our studies, however, have also shown that for most Americans, climate change is not a common topic of conversation or something they hear about much in their daily lives.  This suggests that there is a climate change “spiral of silence” in which even people who care about the issue, shy away from discussing it because they so infrequently hear other people talking about it – reinforcing the spiral.

Here we use data from our most recent national survey to explore this concept.  As you’ll see below, we find that more than half of those who are interested in global warming or think the issue is important “rarely” or “never” talk about it with family and friends (57% and 54% respectively).

So we pose the question to you:  Do you think there a spiral of silence about climate change in America?  Do you find yourself or others you know hesitant to talk about it?  If so, why?

1/6: Americans are interested in global warming

The majority of Americans are interested in the issue of global warming.  Two in three Americans are either “very” (22%) or “moderately” (45%) interested.  Only about one in three is “not very” (16%) or “not at all” (16%) interested in it.

2/6: Global warming is personally important to a majority of Americans

The majority of Americans also say global warming is important to them personally.  Six in ten say the issue is “extremely” (9%), “very” (17%), or “moderately” (35%) important to them. Fewer Americans – about four in ten – say global warming is “not too” (21%) or “not at all” (17%) important to them personally.

Read more at Is There a Climate “Spiral of Silence” in America?