Facing the Facts: An Exploratory Study on the Relation Between People’s Attachment Style and Perception of Climate Change

Abstract

Anthropogenic climate change poses on of the biggest challenges for humanity of this century. Yet research on the underlying psychological mechanisms that explain how people perceive climate change have received less attention. The current study assesses whether there is a relation between adult attachment style and perception of climate change. An online survey yielded a sample of 148 students, measuring participants attachment style(‘s) and perceptions of climate change. A correlation test and multiple regressions were performed. Results showed a positive causal relation between secure attachment and belief in the occurrence, human causes and negative consequences of climate change; avoidant and fearful attachment were negatively correlated to respectively belief in the negative consequences of climate change and belief in the humans causes and negative consequences of climate change. This was an exploratory study and therefore the first time a relation between attachment style and perception of climate change has been found. Possible explanations underpinning these results are discussed, followed by limitations and suggestions for future research.