Americans experience a false social reality by underestimating popular climate policy support by nearly half - Nature Communications

www.nature.com Americans experience a false social reality by underestimating popular climate policy support by nearly half - Nature Communications

A new study finds that Americans underestimate how many are concerned about climate change as well as support for major climate policies by nearly half, with climate policy supporters significantly outnumbering non-supporters.

Americans experience a false social reality by underestimating popular climate policy support by nearly half - Nature Communications

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neanderthal @lemmy.world

1y ago

Americans generally support climate policy, but they think others generally don't

www.nature.com /articles/s41467-022-32412-y

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9 comments

Most likely because one of the 2 major American political parties denies it exists, and the other is dragging its feet on implementing green energy
- Republicans only make up like 30% of the population but our system of representation makes them seem like half.
  
  They make themselves seem like half by changing rules and district maps, to steal half of the representation
- Yeah that seems like basically they argument.
  Preliminary evidence suggests three sources of these misperceptions: (i) consistent with a false consensus effect, respondents who support these policies less (conservatives) underestimate support by a greater degree; controlling for one’s own personal politics, (ii) exposure to more conservative local norms and (iii) consuming conservative news correspond to greater misperceptions.

Americans have a warped view of public opinion perpetuated by an inclination to stay within their social circles and perceive cues from within them that shape their opinions leading to inaction on environmental realities even as policies addressing those issues have widespread public appeal? You don't say!
- Quick, call the American Association of Sociologists!
- Frequently people like popular ideas as concepts but oppose specific implementations because of who is proposing it or their (mis)understanding of how it would be implemented.
  Like the pushback against single payer healthcare and expanding gun laws is in opposition to people's widespread support of the concept is based on fear of how it would work out while ignoring the current status quo. I support universal healthcare, but only one party would implement it in a way that didn't screw minorities and lgbtq+ folks. That means I would be on board supporting it while fighting against one party's proposals which seems like a contradiction, but is because I would actually want the real thing.

When it comes to public opinion on government issues, theres only one poll that matters.

9 comments