Purpose

The purpose of this study is to reveal indications of effective climate change communication through presenters holding powerful positions. This study aims to achieve this by examining how people perceive emotional campaigns on climate change and to what extent they ultimately perform actions to achieve adequate responses to environmental hazards and protection.

Design/methodology/approach

This study measured environmental behavior directly through donations to environmental charities in two experimental conditions (i.e. top-down vs same-level communication). Environmental emotions were measured via pride and guilt levels about their own country’s environmental actions.

Findings

Powerful individuals appeal to those people who are usually less driven to behave sustainably, and thus induce guilt regardless of the participant’s environmental identity. Conversely, powerful speakers did not succeed in addressing low identity participants using positive emotions. In fact, high power results in even lower pride levels, indicating a potentially adverse effect of power.

Research limitations/implications

While this paper successfully used an organizational leader as a powerful individual, it would be a fruitful avenue to use the experimental framework and examine different presenters (such as politicians, non-governmental organization leaders or scientific experts) who embody environmental advocacy.

Practical implications

The results on top-down communication are intended to add to the understanding of emotional power in environmental contexts and help policy-makers to foster environmental advocacy using emotion-inducing campaigns.

Originality/value

The study is among the first to examine and elucidate the circumstances under which powerful individuals can encourage pro-environmental behavior. This study provides evidence that power can be a useful tool to appeal to those people who are usually less driven to behave sustainably. However, this paper also found that power does not increase emotions and behavior per se.

中文翻译：

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环境情绪和行为的力量

目的

本研究的目的是揭示通过担任重要职位的演讲者进行有效气候变化交流的迹象。本研究旨在通过研究人们如何看待气候变化的情感运动以及他们最终在多大程度上采取行动以实现对环境危害和保护的充分反应来实现这一目标。

设计/方法/方法

本研究通过在两个实验条件下（即自上而下与同级交流）向环境慈善机构捐款来直接测量环境行为。环境情绪是通过对自己国家的环境行为的自豪感和内疚感来衡量的。

发现

有权势的人会吸引那些通常不太愿意以可持续的方式行事的人，因此无论参与者的环境身份如何，都会引起内疚。相反，强大的演讲者并没有成功地使用积极情绪来解决低认同度的参与者。事实上，高权力导致甚至更低的自尊水平，表明权力有潜在的不利影响。

研究限制/影响

虽然本文成功地将组织领导者作为一个强大的个人，但使用实验框架并检查体现环境倡导的不同演讲者（例如政治家、非政府组织领导人或科学专家）将是一个富有成效的途径。

实际影响

自上而下沟通的结果旨在增加对环境背景下情感力量的理解，并帮助决策者通过情绪诱导运动来促进环境宣传。

原创性/价值

该研究是最早检查和阐明有权势的个人可以鼓励亲环境行为的情况之一。这项研究提供的证据表明，权力可以成为一种有用的工具，可以吸引那些通常不太愿意采取可持续行为的人。然而，本文还发现，权力本身并不会增加情绪和行为。