Let's Talk About Climate Denial (Part 2)
Let’s Talk About Climate Denial
Part 2: Understanding Climate Denial and How to Approach it
Last month, we provided five common climate denial arguments and the facts associated with overcoming them. Unfortunately, facts aren’t always enough to change minds. This month, we’re looking into the psychology of climate denial and how to have a conversation that persuades instead of alienates your interlocutor.
Firstly, how can anyone deny climate change? Like we discussed last month, all signs point to the fact that climate change is happening, it’s happening faster than it ever has before, and humans are causing it. There are lots of specific reasons someone might not believe the case for climate change, but they generally fall into one of three categories.
Misinformation
The facts seem clear to you, but we’ve all been fed a lot of climate change misinformation by fossil fuel companies for decades. Don’t be hasty, the logic implies; we can’t make sweeping systemic changes when we don’t even know all the facts! Meanwhile the fossil fuel industry, following Big Tobacco’s PR lead, has clouded the facts and scientific consensus of climate change and made it appear as if there’s room for doubt when there is none.
Even though the link between humans and the rate of global warming we’ve been experiencing is “as settled as the link between smoking and cancer,” lots of people are still fuzzy on the facts. This is actually pretty understandable. Disinformation works and fossil fuels companies are good at it. Combine that with the $200 million a year from the top five publicly-traded oil and gas companies dedicated to lobbying and confusion is sure to abound. Maybe some exposure to the truth will convert your climate-denying friend. If not, it’s probably due to one (or all) of the other psychological motivations underlying climate denial.
Emotional OverloadDenying climate change can be a form of dissociation. Sometimes referred to as “motivated denial,” dismissing the seriousness of climate change is a way to keep intact the world as they know it and their role within that world. What’s the point in recognizing and being alarmed about a situation you have little control over? But “for some people, accepting that humans cause climate change questions self-worth, threatens financial institutions and is accompanied by an overwhelming sense of responsibility.” Being challenged on a strongly-held belief lights up the parts of our brains associated with self-identity and negative emotions. Changing your mind is hard. Especially if your social tribe holds the same beliefs.
Social/Tribal Pressure
We often “inherit” our parents’ worldview. As we grow older, our opinions tend to be molded by our social tribe. Being accepted by our tribe is extremely psychologically important. Humans are social creatures (even in quarantine), and being accepted is a subconscious need we all have.
It turns out that holding onto an irrational idea that is the basis for membership
in a group functions much in the same way as an addictive drug. Agreeing with
the group stimulates the reward pathway; trying to defy the group stimulates
many of the same brain regions that fire during drug withdrawal.
If your family, friend group, work colleagues, etc. hold a particular belief, you will do psychologically what you need to do to stay in that group: cling to readily-available dodgy facts, dismiss the seriousness of a claim, latch onto any scientific disagreement in an effort to discredit a scientific argument. One’s own sense of belonging is an immediate need, and that trumps almost everything.
Now let’s take that information and synthesize it into a game plan for addressing a conversation with someone who doesn’t accept the facts of climate change.
Think of the conversation taking place in two phases. The first phase is emotional, and the second phase is logical.
Any salesperson will tell you that emotions make the sale, not facts. Lots of studies show that fact-dumping is not an effective way to change a person’s mind. Think of a smoker. They know that smoking is bad for them. They’re not smoking because of a lack of information. The information for climate change is there; these people are dismissing climate change for emotional reasons. So let’s start our conversation there.
Before making any case for climate change, find out where they’re coming from. Ask them to talk about their views. This serves several purposes. Firstly, this lets your counterpart feel heard. No matter your argument, if someone feels like they have to be on the defensive, they won’t be receptive to facts, emotional appeals, or compromise. When we enter fight-or-flight mode, the logical part of our brain shuts down. It’s important that the other person feels you respect their views. Secondly, it gives you a clear picture of their argument. Maybe they believe the Earth is warming but it’s part of natural cycles that the planet goes through every few thousands of years. Since you know that, you can skip the evidence that the world is getting hotter and tailor your argument to the fact that humans are the cause.
Next, emphasize what you have in common. Earlier we talked about the need for humans to feel part of a group. Categorizing people into “us” and “them” is a psychological shortcut we take to assess the potential risk a person might pose to us. If you’re in the “them” group, your words will probably fall on deaf ears. Emphasize your shared values by appealing to your conversational colleague’s different identities. They are more than their climate beliefs—they’re also a doting parent, a devoted aunt, a keen investor, an avid hunter, a savvy entrepreneur, etc. Several of these identities probably run significantly deeper than their climate identity!
You’re an outdoor person? I love the Earth too!
I’m a parent as well, so I know you want the absolute best for your child.
We’re both part of this family, and I’m glad we can talk about this with compassion and respect.
How has climate change already affected those identities, and what’s in store if we don’t take action to prevent further damage? Maybe their child or nephew will grow up in a much less hospitable world than the one you did. Is their coastal-town business going to suffer from the already-documented increased number of hurricanes? Then address the benefits that mitigation efforts could have on these identities.
Business is pretty good at the store! If we take action now, we can create new jobs for the economy and keep things humming!
You want to retire to Southern Florida in a few years. Did you know that by 2045, almost 65,000 houses there could be subject to flooding every other week? Since 1990, sea levels have risen 8 inches! If we act now, you can still retire to a sunny, above-water Florida.
Follow this up with facts and actionable items on how they can curb the effects of climate change (this is the second phase). Don’t just leave them with the threat of losing their retirement plans; we don’t want to trigger dissociation by making them feel that the problem is insurmountable. Tell them about a bill they can support or a non-profit that’s leading the way in sustainability. They don’t have to commit to a green lifestyle after talking to you (although if your argument can do that, you should be writing the next blog!). Personal change would be great, but simply shifting their mindset to support systemic change is also a big win. Whether it’s supporting a carbon tax or reducing government subsidies to fossil fuel companies, if an undeniable majority of people support a policy, it has a far greater chance of coming to fruition.
On the other side of that coin is the “Don’t Bother” model. Don’t focus on converting non-believers: focus on rallying people who believe in climate change but haven’t taken action.
Estimate how many minutes you would likely invest in this “discussion.” Then —
don’t. Engage about something else that connects you on shared values. And
once you’re done with the interaction, use the time you didn’t spend arguing
about climate change to call your legislator or write a letter to the editor.
Better yet, mobilize a friend who already believes climate change is a problem.
Help them set up an in-person meeting with their representative, join a protest,
or build a relationship with a local environmental non-profit.
Regardless of the approach, the biggest piece of advice on this subject is to be kind. When someone’s defenses are raised, it triggers something psychologists call the Explanation Effect. When a person defends their position on a topic, it cements them into that opinion. It’s important they feel acknowledged but not attacked. When they express themselves and feel heard, they’re more likely to see you as part of the “us” group. When they defend themselves and feel attacked, they won’t be open to considering facts that conflict with their worldview.
These tips aren’t just to win an argument. They’re good reminders for us, as well, to remember what we have in common with the people in our lives instead of focusing on differences.
Now you have a lot of tools in your climate change tool belt! Not only can you address the five most common climate-denial arguments, but you can also engage in a conversation with understanding and (hopefully) leave the discussion with no hard feelings. Or you can use the “Don’t Bother” tool to focus on activating the people in your social circles who already know the truth of climate change but haven’t taken action. Which tool you use is up to you, but what’s important is that you’re building part of a movement!