Misperceived Social Norms and Willingness to Act Against Climate Change

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We document the individual willingness to act against climate change and study the role of social norms in a large sample of US adults. Individual beliefs about social norms positively predict pro-climate donations, comparable in strength to universal moral values and economic preferences. However, we document systematic misperceptions of social norms. Respondents vastly underestimate the prevalence of climate-friendly behaviors and norms. Correcting these misperceptions in an experiment causally raises individual willingness to act against climate change and individual support for climate policies. The effects are strongest for individuals who are skeptical about the existence and threat of global warming.
Original languageEnglish
JournalThe Review of Economics and Statistics
Number of pages46
ISSN0034-6535
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 14 Jun 2024

ID: 387507666