Green on the outside, red on the inside: Perceived environmentalist threat as a factor explaining political polarization of climate change

摘要

Political polarization has been observed on climate change issues, with right-wing adherents more likely to deny climate change and oppose policies aimed at mitigation. Most theory and political discourse frames this divide as being driven by support for economy-driven environmental exploitation on the right. However, consistent with rhetoric characterizing environmentalists as "Communist watermelons" (i.e. green on the outside, red on the inside), we test an intergroup explanation for political polarization on climate change attitudes, with the perception that environmentalists are a threat to society also underlying right-wing climate change denial. In an American community sample (N = 384), environmentalist threat consistently, strongly, and uniquely accounted for the link between right-wing ideology and opposition to environmentalist policies and climate change denial, over and above views that the environment exists for economic exploitation and other relevant beliefs about the environment. Implications for encouraging climate change mitigation among right-wing adherents are discussed. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.