An (Un)Holy Trinity: Differences in Climate Change-Induced Distress Between Believers and Non-believers in God Disappear After Controlling for Left–Right Political Orientation

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cris.lastimport.scopus2025-08-31T03:12:53Z
dc.abstract.enWe examined differences in reactions to climate change as a function of belief in God. We studied four samples, convenience samples of university students in the USA (n = 627) and in Poland (n = 628), a nationally representative sample of adults in Poland (n = 1154), and a nationally representative sample of adults in the USA (n = 1098). In each study we measured the distress people felt about climate change, belief in God, and left–right political orientation. These constructs were measured slightly differently across the studies. Regardless of how these constructs were measured, believers were less distressed by climate change than non-believers, and with only a few exceptions, these differences disappeared after covarying political orientation (left–right or liberal-conservative). Contrary to those who argue that there is something inherent in religious belief that predisposes people to deny or ignore climate change, the present results suggest that it is the (growing) confluence of faith and conservative political orientation that is responsible for the fact that some people of faith tend to deny climate change or actively oppose efforts to combat it.
dc.affiliationInstitute of Psychology
dc.affiliationWydział Psychologii w Warszawie
dc.affiliationInstytut Psychologii
dc.contributor.authorNezlek, John
dc.contributor.authorMarzena Cypryańska
dc.date.access2024-03-27
dc.date.accessioned2024-03-27T09:04:18Z
dc.date.available2024-03-27T09:04:18Z
dc.date.created2022-11-20
dc.date.issued2024-04-01
dc.description.abstract<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>We examined differences in reactions to climate change as a function of belief in God. We studied four samples, convenience samples of university students in the USA (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 627) and in Poland (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 628), a nationally representative sample of adults in Poland (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 1154), and a nationally representative sample of adults in the USA (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 1098). In each study we measured the distress people felt about climate change, belief in God, and left–right political orientation. These constructs were measured slightly differently across the studies. Regardless of how these constructs were measured, believers were less distressed by climate change than non-believers, and with only a few exceptions, these differences disappeared after covarying political orientation (left–right or liberal-conservative). Contrary to those who argue that there is something inherent in religious belief that predisposes people to deny or ignore climate change, the present results suggest that it is the (growing) confluence of faith and conservative political orientation that is responsible for the fact that some people of faith tend to deny climate change or actively oppose efforts to combat it.</jats:p>
dc.description.accesstimeafter_publication
dc.description.grantnumber2018/31/B/HS6/02822
dc.description.grantnumberSWPS University
dc.description.physical1307–1333
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume63
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s10943-022-01706-2
dc.identifier.issn0022-4197
dc.identifier.issn1573-6571
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/604
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOPEN_JOURNAL
dc.subject.enBelief in God
dc.subject.enReligiosity
dc.subject.enClimate change
dc.subject.enClimate change distress
dc.subject.enWell-being
dc.subject.enPolitical orientation
dc.swps.sciencecloudsend
dc.titleAn (Un)Holy Trinity: Differences in Climate Change-Induced Distress Between Believers and Non-believers in God Disappear After Controlling for Left–Right Political Orientation
dc.title.journalJournal of Religion and Health
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle