Understanding how experiences with weather affect attitudes and behaviors related to climate change supports our efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. A variety of studies have reported evidence of notable effects of weather experiences on climate attitudes, while other studies have found null effects. This review overviews recent research that has contributed further evidence regarding the effects of weather experiences on climate attitudes and behaviors. Studies on three accounts of mechanisms by which these effects may occur (affect activation, issue salience, and psychological distance) and three categories of potential moderators (media attention, motivated reasoning, and event attribution) are discussed. Lastly, recent work on how weather experiences may create climate policy windows is reviewed and general conclusions are presented.
Sisco, MR
The effects of weather experiences on climate change attitudes and behaviors
Current Opinion In Environmental Sustainability