Overcoming skepticism with education: Interacting influences of worldview and climate
change knowledge on perceived climate change risk among adolescents
Supplemental Information
Kathryn T. Stevenson1, M. Nils Peterson, Howard D. Bondell, Susan E. Moore, Sarah J. Carrier
Submitted to Climatic Change
1
Corresponding author: Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Program, Department of
Forestry & Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA;
ktate@ncsu.edu Phone: 919-605-3292; Fax: 919-515-5110
Table S1. Climate change knowledge scale. We drew these questions from Tobler et al. (2012)
and modified quesitons based on pretesting with middle school students (n = 92). Percentage correct
represents the percentage of respondents whose answers reflect current scientific understanding (n = 378)
Topic
Item wording
%
Correct
Climate Change Burning oil, among other things, produces carbon dioxide (CO2)
81.8
Science
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas.
72.2
Climate Change
Causes
Change Impacts
Climate
Greenhouse gasses partly keep the Earth’s heat from escaping into
space.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is harmful to plants
55.6
The ozone hole is the main cause of the greenhouse effect.
50.4
At the same quantity, carbon dioxide (CO2) is more harmful to the
climate than methane.
The global carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere has
increased during the past 250 years.
The increase of greenhouse gasses is mainly caused by human
activities
With a high probability, the increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) is the
main cause of climate change.
Climate change is mainly caused by natural variations (such as
changes in solar radiation and volcanic eruptions)
The last century’s global increase in temperature was the largest
during the past 1000 years.
The decade from 2000 to 2009 was warmer than any other decade
since 1850.
The amount of (CO2) in the atmosphere has reached the same levels
within the past 650,000 years.
For the next few decades, the majority of climate scientists
expect…
… an increase in extreme events, such as droughts, floods, and storms
62.9
… a warmer climate to increase the melting of polar ice, which will
lead to an overall rise of the sea level.
… a cooling-down of the climate
78.4
… a warmer climate to increase water evaporation, which will lead to
an overall decrease of the sea level.
… the climate to change evenly all over the world.
62.3
… a precipitation increase in every region worldwide.
54.0
72.7
79.2
76.6
55.6
50.1
63.1
69.9
68.1
77.1
74.3
66.5
2
Table S2. Individualism scales adapted from Kahan (2012). We modified the wording of the
original questions slightly based on results from pretesting with middle school students (n = 92 ).
Individualism was a six-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree.
1
The government (at any level) interferes far too much in our everyday lives.
2
Sometimes the government needs to make laws that keep people from hurting themselves.
3
It’s not the government’s business to try to protect people from themselves.
4
The government should stop telling people how to live their lives.
5
The government should do more to advance society’s goals, even if that means limiting the freedom
and choices of individuals.
6
Government should put limits on the choices individuals can make so they don’t get in the way of
what’s good for society.
7
It’s society’s responsibility to make sure everyone’s basic needs such as food, housing, and
healthcare are met.
8
It’s a mistake to ask society to help every person in need.
9
People should be able to rely on the government for help when they need it.
10 Individuals should take responsibility for their own lives without anyone telling them what to do.
11 Our government tries to do too may things for too many people. We should just let people take care
of themselves.
12 If the government spent less time trying to fix everyone’s problems, we’d all be a lot better off.
13 People who make money in business have a right to enjoy their money however they want.
14 Hard work and competition – not government programs – are the best way to supply people with the
things they need.
15 Making money is why people work hard.
3
Table S3. Hierarchy scale adapted from Pratto et al (1994). We modified the wording of the
original questions slightly based on results from pretesting with middle school students (n = 92).
Hierarchy was a seven-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Some groups of people are simply inferior to other groups.
In getting what you want, it is sometimes necessary to use force against other groups.
It’s OK if some groups have more of a chance in life than others.
To get ahead in life, it is sometimes necessary to step on other groups.
If certain groups stayed in their place, we would have fewer problems.
It’s probably a good thing that certain groups are at the top and other groups are at the
bottom.
Inferior groups should stay in their place.
Sometimes other groups must be kept in their place.
It would be good if groups could be equal.
Group equality should be our idea.
All groups should be given an equal chance in life.
We should do what we can to equalize conditions for different groups.
Increased social equality is beneficial to society
We would have fewer problems if we treated people more equally.
We should strive to make incomes as equal as possible.
No group should dominate in society.
4
Figure S1. Acceptance of AGW scale. Items were taken from the only available large-scale
climate change survey for teenagers (Leiserowitz et al. 2011).
5