How climate change risk perceptions are related to moral judgment and guilt in China

摘要

China has experienced many serious impacts of climate change as the result of greenhouse gas emissions. Because climate change risk perceptions and moral principles are country- and culture-specific, we need to conduct additional research to understand how the Chinese’s risk perceptions are associated with their moral attitudes and emotions (i.e., anticipated guilt). Based on a survey of 569 Chinese respondents, results revealed that both impersonal risks (i.e., risk to the remote environment and others) and personal/ingroup risks predicted moral attitudes toward climate mitigation behaviors. Furthermore, personal/ingroup risks positively predicted anticipated guilt for not performing mitigation behaviors, whereas impersonal risks negatively predicted anticipated guilt. Moral attitudes, anticipated guilt, and efficacy, but not injunctive norms, in turn predicted intentions to perform personal behaviors to mitigate climate change. Theoretical implications related to climate morality and practical implications for intervention programs were discussed.