Bridging farmers’ non-cognitive and self-conscious emotional factors to cognitive determinants of climate change adaptation in southwest Iran

Abstract

ABSTRACT Farm-level adaptation is an effective strategy to cope with global climate change. Farmers can effectively manage the negative effects of climate change with adaptive decisions. Cognitive, non-cognitive and emotional factors influence adaptive decisions against climate change. However, little research addresses the extent to which a set of integrated factors influence a farmer's intention to adapt. To address this gap, this study aims to determine, first, the relationship between cognitive factors, including awareness, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behaviour control; non-cognitive factors including habits and moral norms; as well as emotional factors, including anticipated pride and guilt surrounding adaptation intention. Second, it evaluates an integrated structural model using SmartPLS, a software commonly used in partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), wherein all these factors are examined simultaneously. A survey was conducted to fulfil these objectives, involving 250 farmers from Susangerd city in the Khuzestan province of southwestern Iran. Results reveal that positive emotions (pride), cognitive constructs, (perceived behaviour control and awareness), as well as non-cognitive factors, (behavioural habits and moral norms) affect adaptation intention. Findings provide guidance to policymakers, and agricultural experts who are considering different factors in designing and implementing policies and innovations related to climate change adaptation.