Abstract
This study examined the relationship between the media framing of climate change and five related variables: climate change anxiety, climate change engagement, climate agency, political engagement, and political agency. Prior research is divided on how we best frame climate media to encourage political engagement and enhance self-agency in Americans. The goal of this research was to shed light on this debate while also uncovering which variables inform political decisions in a diverse sample of Americans. Political polarization and voting behavior were among the variables analyzed that have not been considered extensively in prior climate and framing research. Through analysis of framing conditions, it was hypothesized that loss-framed media would be least effective in enhancing people’s agency and encouraging political engagement. This hypothesis was tested using a sample of N = 212 American adults exposed to framed news followed by a survey to scale for variables. Significant results were not found related to framing effects. Despite this, significant results regarding political ideology and identity discrepancies were found related to all five variables. These results communicate the importance of identity and party beliefs in American politics.
Advisor
Clayton, Susan
Second Advisor
Kim, Sekwen
Department
Political Science; Psychology
Recommended Citation
Christopher, William, "Climate Crisis or Climate Change? The Impacts of Gain Framing, Loss Framing, and Ideology on Political Engagement and Agency" (2025). Senior Independent Study Theses. Paper 11550.
https://openworks.wooster.edu/independentstudy/11550
Disciplines
American Politics | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Keywords
Climate Change, Political Polarization, Loss Framing, Gain Framing
Publication Date
2025
Degree Granted
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type
Senior Independent Study Thesis
© Copyright 2025 William Christopher