Feeling the Heat & Knowing the Science How Education Shapes Climate Concern
When people feel climate change in their own backyards warmer winters, earlier springs, more extreme heat they tend to take it more seriously. But simply experiencing the weather shift isn't always enough. A new study shows that higher education plays a crucial role in helping people make sense of the warming they’re experiencing, especially in colder regions where changes are more noticeable.
Anthropologist and social scientist R. Alexander Bentley, along with colleague Ben Horne, analyzed data across over 3,000 U.S. counties to explore how education levels and real-life temperature changes interact to shape climate concern. The findings suggest that it’s the combination of both perceptible warming and education that leads to a deeper awareness and concern about climate change.
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