Testing the Climate Change Risk Perception Model in the Turkish Context

Abstract

This research aims to test van der Linden’s (2015) Climate Change Risk Perception Model in Türkiye, a non-Western culture, and expand its scope. For this purpose, the model was tested using data collected from 582 participants across Türkiye. The current study tested the original model and the effects of the newly added variables: the need for cognitive closure, responsibility attribution, and information valence. According to the results, the model is validated in Türkiye and accounts for 37% of the variance. Although the need for cognitive closure and responsibility attribution did not increase the explained variance, the information valence factor provided a significant explanation and increased the explained variance by approximately 2.5%. The research makes a unique contribution to the literature by testing the model in a non-Western culture and demonstrating the role of information valence in explaining climate change risk perception. The results will contribute to society by making climate change risk communication more effective and developing interventions to increase the likelihood of people exhibiting pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours.

Keywords

• Risk Perception
• Climate Change
• Global Warming
• Risk Communication
• Information Valence
• Need for Cognitive Closure
• Responsibility Attributions

İklı̇m Değı̇şı̇klı̇ğı̇ Rı̇sk Algısı Modelinin Türkiye Örnekleminde Test Edilmesi

Abstract

Bu araştırma van der Linden’in (2015) İklim Değişikliği Risk Algısı Modelini (İDRAM) Batı dışı bir kültür olan Türkiye’de test etmeyi ve kapsamını genişletmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu amaçla, Türkiye genelinden 581 katılımcıdan elde edilen verilerle model test edilmiştir. Mevcut çalışma, orijinal modeli ve yeni eklenen şu değişkenlerin etkilerini test etmiştir: Bilişsel kapanma ihtiyacı, sorumluluk atfı ve bilgi değerliği. Sonuçlara göre, model Türkiye örneklemine uyum göstermiştir ve açıklayıcılık oranı %37’dir. Bilişsel kapanma ihtiyacı ve sorumluluk atfı açıklanan varyansı artırmasa da bilgi değerliği faktörü modele önemli bir açıklama sağlamış ve Türkiye’deki örneklemde açıklanan varyansı yaklaşık %2,5 oranında artırmıştır. Araştırma, modeli Batı dışı bir kültürde test ederek ve bilgi değerliğinin iklim değişikliği risk algısını açıklamadaki rolünü göstererek literatüre katkı sağlamaktadır. Sonuçların, iklim değişikliği risk iletişimini daha etkili hâle getirerek ve insanların çevre yanlısı tutum ve davranışlar sergileme olasılığını artıracak müdahaleler geliştirerek topluma katkıda bulunması beklenmektedir.

Keywords

• risk algısı
• iklim değişikliği
• küresel ısınma
• risk iletişimi
• bilgi değerliği
• bilişsel kapanma ihtiyacı
• sorumluluk atfı

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