The role of environmental identity and individualism/collectivism in predicting climate change denial: Evidence from nine countries

Abstract

Climate change is a global problem which requires a global response. However, climate change denial in many countries inhibits the ability to respond effectively. This cross-cultural correlational study investigates some global, cultural, and personal predictors of climate change denial. The sample included 2,751 respondents from nine countries: Armenia, China, Cuba, Estonia, India, Poland, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine (Mage = 20.7, SDage = 4.0; 868 men, 1,883 women). The Environmental Identity scale, the Individualism–Collectivism scale, and the Denial of climate change scale were used. We found that, overall, climate change denial weakly negatively correlated with the country’s individualism but environmental identity did not, and that climate change denial was negatively predicted by environmental identity, gender (lower in women), horizontal collectivism and individualism, and positively by vertical individualism. However, these links varied across countries, forming specific patterns. The results obtained may be helpful in guiding ecological education and social policy.