Examining the Relationship Between Physical Vulnerability and Public Perceptions of Global Climate Change in the United States

TLDR

Research on climate‑change perceptions has largely ignored how geographic proximity influences views. The study adds a spatial dimension to existing risk‑perception models for climate change. GIS and spatial analytics were applied to map respondents’ climate‑risk exposure, and bivariate and multivariate regressions linked vulnerability metrics, demographics, attitudes, and social context to risk perception. Results show that specific physical conditions and experiences drive the link between actual and perceived climate risk.

Abstract

Although there is a growing body of research examining public perceptions of global climate change, little work has focused on the role of place and proximity in shaping these perceptions. This study extends previous conceptual models explaining risk perception associated with global climate change by adding a spatial dimension. Specifically, Geographic Information Systems and spatial analytical techniques are used to map and measure survey respondents' physical risk associated with expected climate change. Using existing spatial data, multiple measures of climate change vulnerability are analyzed along with demographic, attitudinal, and social contextual variables derived from a representative national survey to predict variation in risk perception. Bivariate correlation and multivariate regression analyses are used to identify and explain the most important indicators shaping individual risk perception. Analysis of the data suggests that the relationship between actual and perceived risk is driven by specific types of physical conditions and experiences.