Learning from the news about the consequences of climate change: an amendment of the cognitive mediation model

Abstract

In this study, we suggest to amending the cognitive mediation model of learning from the news to explain the impact of news coverage on climate change on the recipients' acquisition of knowledge about the consequences of climate change. To test our theoretical assumptions, we combine a content analysis of 29 news media channels with a two-wave panel survey before and after the release of the 5th IPCC report. Results show that the amount of information on the consequences of climate change used in print media and prior knowledge are the strongest predictors of the knowledge in the second panel wave.

Learning about climate politics during COP 21: Explaining a diminishing knowledge gap

“…Being one of few studies that have actually tested the evolution of knowledge over time (e.g. Milfont, 2012;Oschatz et al, 2019;Wanta and Elliott, 1995), and the only study to explore knowledge about climate politics in this way, we find no evidence for a widening knowledge gap as a media effect.…”

“…Especially when information is complex, background knowledge is needed to process and memorize it correctly. For political knowledge, Price and Zaller (1993 : 157) have shown “that citizens’ likelihood of learning about current news events is best predicted by pre-existing knowledge of political affairs.” Likewise, the panel survey of Oschatz et al (2019) shows that prior knowledge is one of the strongest positive predictors of learning about climate change. The study was able to prove a weak learning effect about climate change consequences from news use after the release of an IPCC report.…”

“…Investigating differential learning over time with longitudinal data has remained a central research desideratum ( Gaziano, 2013 ). One exception is the study of Oschatz et al (2019) , combining a two-wave panel survey with content analysis to investigate individual knowledge about climate change consequences before and after the release of an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. They show positive effects of prior knowledge and media use, but still only take few potential influencing factors into account.…”

Navigating through the jungle of information. Informational self-efficacy predicts climate change-related media exposure, knowledge, and behaviour

“…Hence, follow-up research could use a more fine-grained approach and assess both aspects separately. As an extension, people's attention to and elaboration of climate change-related information could be explicitly assessed in order to determine their degree of activity and motivation in dealing with the information (Eveland 2001;Oschatz et al 2019). This extension is particularly important in light of Bandura's (1977Bandura's ( , 1997 assumption that self-efficacy is specifically relevant for promoting active engagement in difficult behaviours.…”

“…Hence, follow-up studies could use mixed methods approaches, combining survey data with content analyses of the used media (see, e.g. Barabas and Jerit 2009;Oschatz et al 2019). The assessment could also cover prominent misinformation that is disseminated through media.…”