A psychologically wise intervention to inform relational organizing in the face of climate and ocean change
Abstract Widespread climate action is broadly recognized as necessary to reduce climate change impacts on oceans (“ocean change”), but threats to ocean ecosystems are commonly perceived as distant, irrelevant, and unchangeable. Communicating about ocean change, therefore, requires message framing st...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
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| Series: | npj Ocean Sustainability |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-025-00115-8 |
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| author | Jennifer L. Waldo Thomas C. Swearingen Megan S. Jones |
| author_facet | Jennifer L. Waldo Thomas C. Swearingen Megan S. Jones |
| author_sort | Jennifer L. Waldo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Widespread climate action is broadly recognized as necessary to reduce climate change impacts on oceans (“ocean change”), but threats to ocean ecosystems are commonly perceived as distant, irrelevant, and unchangeable. Communicating about ocean change, therefore, requires message framing strategies targeting evidence-based psychological precursors to behavior. In a pre-registered case study of coastal visitors in Oregon, United States (n = 2414), we tested the influence of psychologically wise message about ocean change on climate action intentions. We primarily focused on influencing relational organizing: people’s willingness to encourage others to act. A behavior-specific message targeting relational organizing efficacy beliefs significantly but weakly increased intentions for relational organizing regarding ocean change compared to a control. Neither a connectedness to coast (place-based) message nor an ocean acidification (proximate threat-based) message had detectable effects on intentions. Our results suggest that targeting relational organizing efficacy may increase climate action intentions for the protection of coastal ecosystems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d16bfba483ff411ebeb16bbb4d4bb8a6 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2731-426X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Ocean Sustainability |
| spelling | doaj-art-d16bfba483ff411ebeb16bbb4d4bb8a62025-08-20T02:30:22ZengNature Portfolionpj Ocean Sustainability2731-426X2025-04-014111010.1038/s44183-025-00115-8A psychologically wise intervention to inform relational organizing in the face of climate and ocean changeJennifer L. Waldo0Thomas C. Swearingen1Megan S. Jones2Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State UniversityMarine Resources Program, Oregon Department of Fish & WildlifeDepartment of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State UniversityAbstract Widespread climate action is broadly recognized as necessary to reduce climate change impacts on oceans (“ocean change”), but threats to ocean ecosystems are commonly perceived as distant, irrelevant, and unchangeable. Communicating about ocean change, therefore, requires message framing strategies targeting evidence-based psychological precursors to behavior. In a pre-registered case study of coastal visitors in Oregon, United States (n = 2414), we tested the influence of psychologically wise message about ocean change on climate action intentions. We primarily focused on influencing relational organizing: people’s willingness to encourage others to act. A behavior-specific message targeting relational organizing efficacy beliefs significantly but weakly increased intentions for relational organizing regarding ocean change compared to a control. Neither a connectedness to coast (place-based) message nor an ocean acidification (proximate threat-based) message had detectable effects on intentions. Our results suggest that targeting relational organizing efficacy may increase climate action intentions for the protection of coastal ecosystems.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-025-00115-8 |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer L. Waldo Thomas C. Swearingen Megan S. Jones A psychologically wise intervention to inform relational organizing in the face of climate and ocean change npj Ocean Sustainability |
| title | A psychologically wise intervention to inform relational organizing in the face of climate and ocean change |
| title_full | A psychologically wise intervention to inform relational organizing in the face of climate and ocean change |
| title_fullStr | A psychologically wise intervention to inform relational organizing in the face of climate and ocean change |
| title_full_unstemmed | A psychologically wise intervention to inform relational organizing in the face of climate and ocean change |
| title_short | A psychologically wise intervention to inform relational organizing in the face of climate and ocean change |
| title_sort | psychologically wise intervention to inform relational organizing in the face of climate and ocean change |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-025-00115-8 |
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