News
Oceans were the hottest ever recorded in 2022, analysis shows
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul proposes banning natural gas in all new buildings
Republicans turn up the heat on a new culture war target: gas stoves
Assignment
We are going to start our discussion of climate change by looking at the cultural cognition problem – what shapes people’s beliefs about scientific issues? This work was done in 2012-2014. This work has become even more relevant in the aftermath of the Trump presidency and current controversies over COVID science and policy. Read to “3. The “normality” of climate science in Southeast Florida” at p. 33.
This research explores the critical distinction between what a person knows and what a person believes. This has important implications for communicating information about controversial subjects such as climate change. It is also fundamental to trial practice: you have to persuade jurors to believe your story, not just know your story. The article is well written but can be heavy going so I have recorded a video guide to the article:
Cultural Cognition Intro – Climate Class
You can skim the paper, then watch the guide and look back at the sections discussed in the guide to make sure you understand them. Or you can watch the guide as you go through the paper to help you figure out the paper. Look carefully at the section of the paper that discusses why telling people that 97% of scientists believe something is not a good way to get them to change their minds.