Abstract

This independent study aimed to examine the role of gender and framing in shaping attitudes toward environmental issues. Existing literature suggests that men and women respond to framing effects differently, with men prioritizing economic values and women tending to respond better to the ethical values of a frame. Through the body of research that I consulted, I explored the reasons behind these differences and considered whether it was possible to create a single framing strategy that could engage all gender identities. Through this exploration, I hypothesized that the combination of ethical and economic framing strategies would be more effective in increasing engagement and emotional responses toward climate change among both men and women compared to using a single frame alone. I was able to test the hypothesis by employing an experimental research design that involved surveying students, faculty, and staff at The College of Wooster. Participants were exposed to a fictional environmental story about a man named Tony who lived in a coastal community and were randomly assigned to one of the four framing conditions: an “economic frame,” an “ethical frame,” a “control frame,” and a “combined frame” that included both ethical and economic information. The findings revealed that concern for climate change varied across gender identities, with women and non-binary individuals expressing higher levels of concern than men. Notably, the ethical and combined frames were found to have the most significant impact on participants' concern, while the economic frame alone did not produce any significant impact on concern.

Advisor

Krain, Matthew

Department

Political Science

Disciplines

Political Science

Publication Date

2024

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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