Vries, Nicole de (2025) The Role of Optimism in Climate Messaging: Effects of Positive Tipping Point Framing on Collective Action Intentions in the UK. Bachelor thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
This study investigated the role of dispositional optimism in shaping collective action intentions in response to climate messaging. Specifically, it examined whether optimism predicts stronger intentions to act and whether it influences the effectiveness of framing strategies focused on efficacy and social norms. A total of 450 UK participants aged 18–30 were recruited through Prolific and randomly assigned to one of three message conditions: a control message featuring positive tipping point framing, a message emphasizing efficacy, or a message combining efficacy and social norms. Participants then reported their intentions to engage in collective climate action. Higher levels of optimism were associated with stronger collective action intentions, indicating that optimism may play a meaningful role in climate engagement. However, it did not increase responsiveness to the different message framings. Notably, only the social norms framing was consistently recognized by participants, while the efficacy and tipping point messages were less clearly perceived. Taken together, these findings highlight the potential of optimism as a direct predictor of collective action intentions, while pointing to the need for more effective framing strategies in climate messaging. Keywords: optimism, collective action, climate communication, positive tipping points, climate change
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
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| Supervisor name: | Deshpande, A.A. and Spears, R. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | None [Bachelor Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Jun 2025 09:52 |
| Last Modified: | 24 Jun 2025 09:52 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/5039 |
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