Abstract
Due to the crucial role of knowledge in promoting public engagement with climate change, this study made an in-depths examination of the distribution of climate change knowledge among different demographic groups. Guided by information deficit model and cognitive miser model, two types of knowledge were investigated, including actual knowledge and illusory knowledge. Using a nationally representative survey in Singapore, this study found demographic effects in climate change knowledge distribution. Specifically, a series of independent sample t-test revealed that the males had more actual knowledge of climate change than the females. The middle aged and elderly adults had less actual knowledge but more illusory knowledge of climate change than the young adults. Compare to the more educated people, the less educated people had more illusory knowledge but less actual knowledge of climate change. People from low-income households reported lower levels of actual knowledge but higher levels of illusory knowledge than those from high-income households. Regarding these significant differences in climate change knowledge among different demographic groups, possible reasons for these variations and implications for designing public education programs are discussed.
Highlights
Climate change has caused severe consequences to both natural and human systems
This study explored the demographic differences in climate change knowledge
Unlike other studies on knowledge distribution, this study shifted the focus of inquiry from actual knowledge to illusory knowledge
Summary
Climate change has caused severe consequences to both natural and human systems. To relieve the effects of climate change, concerned governments and authorities have made enormous efforts to slow the pace of climate change and reduce further global warming. A number of surveys reported that the public generally had limited knowledge of climate change [1]. Though a substantial number of studies investigated public understanding of climate change, a major concern is that very little work on climate change literacy systematically analyzed how demographic factors relate to different types of climate change knowledge. Prior research typically includes demographic factors (e.g., age, gender, education level, and household income) as statistical control variables in multivariate model, often with little theoretical discussion on demographic variations in climate change knowledge. This present study attempts to remedy this situation
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