Granny Solidarity: Understanding Age and Generational Dynamics in Climate Justice Movements

Chazan, May; Baldwin, Melissa

doi:10.26522/ssj.v13i2.2235

Cited by 14 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 14 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This study contributes to a better understanding of stereotypes towards a notable group of emerging, young environmental activists. In this sense, it will be crucial to understand how this generational dynamic is understood and influences the rest of society in terms of commitment to sustainable behaviors (Chazan and Baldwin 2019). These studies are crucial, as they contribute to understanding the lack of identification and apathy towards activists in general, as well as the impression that society has towards young activists in particular.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Of these, Greta Thunberg emerged as a mediatic figure, attracting attention with aggressive demands on governments and international leaders, warning of the urgency to implement solutions to climate change. This sense of urgency is also seen in other young people who have emerged as agents of change, exposing the failure of the current system (Han and Ahn 2020) and demanding profound transformations in various dimensions (Chazan and Baldwin 2019). In the framework of activists' discourse, they can be perceived as radical (Castro et al 2017).…”

Section: Stereotypical Dimensions In Youth Activismmentioning

confidence: 97%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Just Chill! An Experimental Approach to Stereotypical Attributions Regarding Young Activists

Farinha

Rosa

2022

Social Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Climate change is a crucial issue, which is mobilized by activists. However, activists are targeted with negative stereotypes, hindering their influence. Young activists are environmentally conscious, but the stereotypical attributions assigned to them are unknown, with competing predictions in the literature (for being activist vs being young). In two studies, we aimed at experimentally examining the stereotypical dimensions that are ascribed to activists (youth vs adult) based on the Stereotype Content Model (SCM), as well as a morality/trustworthiness dimension. Considering that activists are generally considered as high-competent, but low-warm, while youth are considered the opposite (low-competence and high-warmth), we hypothesized the impacts on morality/trustworthiness. Greta Thunberg and Jane Fonda were the personalities used in Study 1 (N = 276), randomly assigned to participants while keeping the same discourse excerpt. Thunberg was penalized in all stereotypical dimensions. In Study 2 (N = 228), fictional characters (teenager or adult) were used instead. As hypothesized, no differences were found in the warmth or competence dimensions, only in the morality/trustworthiness dimension, penalizing the young activist. These results highlight the importance of studying environmental activists considering different social categories in stereotypical appraisals. They also contribute to a better understanding of general resistance towards activists, as well as the factors that are detrimental to their social influence.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Stereotypical Dimensions In Youth Activismmentioning

confidence: 97%

Just Chill! An Experimental Approach to Stereotypical Attributions Regarding Young Activists

Farinha

Rosa

2022

Social Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Indeed, age group is considered a critical social category in the context of environmental issues. Older generations are expected to do greater harm to the environment than younger generations (Chazan & Baldwin, 2019), whereas younger generations are expected to act more pro-environmental (Gray et al, 2019). Indeed, some studies indicate that young people show more environmental concerns than older people do (Casey & Scott, 2006).…”

Section: Influence Of the Social Context On Responsibility Attributions: Social Hierarchy And Social Groupsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Participants in the ingroup condition might have been more susceptible for differences between the agents' social roles. In addition, as older generations are sometimes depicted as careless and negatively impacting the environment (Chazan & Baldwin, 2019), participants might have based their judgment on the (unconscious) impression that the outgroup was guilty as a whole. Hence, for the negative side effect, outgroup homogeneity might be reflected by less differentiated blame perception.…”

Section: The Impact Of Age Groupmentioning

confidence: 99%

When company decisions harm or help the environment: the influence of social context and affective state on moral and causal responsibility attributions

Roth

Kaspar

2021

Curr Psychol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Holding companies accountable for their decisions’ environmental side effects becomes increasingly important in the light of current debates on the climate crisis. The present study investigated a young sample’s (n = 925) causal and moral responsibility attributions to a company’s manager and their subordinate employee, who were either young or middle-aged. The agents jointly made a profit-oriented decision which either harmed or helped the environment. Results were analyzed with respect to the valence of the side effect, the agents’ social role, the agents’ age group, and participants’ affective state. We successfully replicated findings from prior studies, showing that more intention and moral responsibility is ascribed to the manager in case of a negative side effect than in case of a positive side effect, and that the manager deserves more blame for negative side effects than the employee, whereas the employee deserves more praise for positive side effects. Additionally, responsibility attributions varied with the agents’ age group, participants’ positive and negative affective state, and participants’ gender. By incorporating these hitherto neglected factors, the study complements existing theories of responsibility attribution and intergroup perception. The findings further highlight the contribution of affective mechanisms as driving factors of responsibility attributions. Combining moral responsibility research, intergroup research, and affective measures promises to foster the understanding of how and to whom people ascribe blame, praise, and causal responsibility for environmental consequences.

show abstract

“…The climate movement has gained attention in recent years [ 1 , 2 ]. The movement aims to increase awareness about human responsibility toward the changing climate and the importance of identifying sustainable sources of food, energy, and livelihood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of chronological age in climate change attitudes, feelings, and behavioral intentions: The case of null results

Ayalon

Roy

2023

PLoS ONE

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Past research has stressed the role of age and generation in climate change discourse, worries, and willingness to act. Therefore, the present paper aimed to examine the role of chronological age (as an arbitrary factor, which represents ageism) in lay people’s climate change-related attitudes, feelings, and behavioral intentions. Two experiments in different countries, Australia and Israel, were conducted for this purpose. The first study examined the impact of the age of the speaker, who provides information about the climate crisis and the second examined the impact of the age of the group being blamed for the situation. Outcome variables included perceived responsibility and motivation for the current climate situation in study 1 and perceived climate change-related attitudes, feelings, and behavioral intentions in study 2. In study 1 (n = 250, Australia), the age of the speaker, a climate activist, varied randomly to test the hypothesis that a younger activist would be more influential and increase motivation and responsibility to act compared to an older activist. In study 2 (n = 179, Israel), the age (young vs. old) of the group identified as being responsible for the climate crisis varied randomly, to test the hypothesis that people would be more willing to identify older people as being responsible for the current climate situation, and this would impact climate change-related attitudes, feelings, and behavioral intentions. Both studies resulted in null effects. Additionally, there was no interaction between the age of the respondent and the age of the source of the message or the age group being blamed by the message. The present study has failed to show that strategies that emphasize intergenerational conflict and ageism impact people’s attitudes, feelings, and behavioral intentions towards the current climate situation. This possibly can serve as an instigator for strategies that emphasize intergenerational solidarity, rather than conflict, as a guiding principle in future campaigns that advocate climate change adaptation and mitigation measures.

show abstract

Granny Solidarity: Understanding Age and Generational Dynamics in Climate Justice Movements

Cited by 14 publications

References 14 publications

Just Chill! An Experimental Approach to Stereotypical Attributions Regarding Young Activists

Just Chill! An Experimental Approach to Stereotypical Attributions Regarding Young Activists

When company decisions harm or help the environment: the influence of social context and affective state on moral and causal responsibility attributions

The role of chronological age in climate change attitudes, feelings, and behavioral intentions: The case of null results

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About