Individuals can support climate-change mitigation in many ways, e.g., through private-sphere behaviors or the support of political measures. We assume that the common climate-change-mitigation heuristic of restriction does not sufficiently support impactful mitigation intentions and therefore introduce and investigate a new heuristic (optimization heuristic.) In a cross-sectional survey with N = 1427 participants (representative of the German population with regard to age, gender, education), we developed two scales to measure the heuristics of restriction and optimization. As individual climate-change-mitigation intentions, we recorded four types of private-sphere behavior, activism, and three forms of policy support. Further psychological variables (personal norm, biospheric value orientation) and sociodemographic variables were recorded. The factorial structure of all concepts was assessed by means of confirmatory factor analyses. Hierarchical regression analyses with the climate-change-mitigation intentions as the criterion were carried out. Results support the assumption of two related, yet distinct, climate-change-mitigation heuristics that were highly correlated with biospheric value orientation. We additionally computed measure of the dominance of the restriction heuristic. This variable had no correlation with biospheric values, and correlated with the intentions in the expected ways, indicating that individuals with a dominant restriction heuristic tend to show lower scores of impactful climate-change-mitigation intentions.

The overall research objective of the present study is the investigation of the effects of a strongly expressed restriction-oriented climate change mitigation heuristic (SER heuristic) on people’s attitude toward and acceptance of climate change mitigation technologies such as Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU). Furthermore, we want to examine the effects of a scenario-based communication intervention approach on the promotion of a supportive attitude toward and acceptance of CCU, especially referring to people characterized by a SER heuristic. Against this background, we present empirical findings based on an online experiment including a scenario-based intervention in an initial sample of 401 German participants. In line with our expectations, our findings show that participants characterized by a SER heuristic report a significantly lower supportive attitude toward CCU as well as a lower acceptance of CCU, compared to participants who are not characterized by a SER heuristic. Furthermore, our findings imply the examined scenario-based communication intervention approach to be an effective tool for the promotion of participants’ supportive attitude toward CCU and acceptance of CCU. Taken together, the present study provides further valuable insights for the promotion of people’s supportive attitude toward as well as of their acceptance of necessary new climate change mitigation technologies such as CCU.

Cambodia has a high potential for the use of residential photovoltaics (RPV), a promising approach to mitigate climate change, but the country is lagging behind in realising this potential. This paper attempts to empirically investigate what motivates and hinders Cambodians' intentions to adopt RPV from a psychological perspective. To answer this research question, an integrative theoretical framework based on the value−belief−norm (VBN) theory and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was used. Data was collected by means of a survey, distributed among individuals belonging to the urban middle and upper classes of Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh. The data of N = 272 participants was then analysed using structural equation modelling and Gaussian graphical modelling. The results revealed that participants' intention to adopt RPV is associated both with the motivation to protect the environment and with the motivation to make a reasoned decision within the role of consumer. The study's results are discussed with particular regard to practical implications that can be derived from them, e.g., the design of potential communicative strategies that can be used to foster the intention to adopt RPV in the future.

Transformation processes are embedded in a broader discourse on sustainability, climate protection, and biodiversity protection. In this context, possible interindividual conflicts between an interest in nature conservation and efforts to counteract climate change also seem to be relevant. This study focuses on the acceptability of different climate protection measures with possible impacts on landscapes, habitats, and human recreation. Based on a survey of a representative sample (N = 1,427 participants), the impact of conservation-related beliefs on the acceptance of four different climate protection measures was analyzed with respect to possible conflicts with values and norms relevant to climate protection. The study focuses in particular on potential value-based conflicts, as this type of conflict is classified as non-negotiable in negotiation processes and thus represents a particular social challenge. Also, to consider the possible relevance of political orientation and humanity orientation, eight structural equation models were tested. Results showed similar structures for the acceptance of the four climate protection measures. There did not seem to be value-based conflicts between nature conservation and climate protection, as the results showed substantial similarities between nature conservation beliefs grounded in biospheric value orientation (protecting biodiversity) and values and norms relevant for climate protection. Political orientation seemed to be relevant as well, as left-oriented people were more likely to accept the four climate protection measures that were tested. However, the relationship between political orientation and acceptance of the measures was – without exception – mediated by the personal norm.

The effect of energy-efficient technology is frequently diminished by so-called rebound effects. Experimental vignette methodology (EVM) is introduced as an experimental research methodology for controlled testing of psychological interventions to reduce such rebound effects after the rebound has been induced. The potential of EVM is validated in two studies. In Study 1 ( N = 735), EVM is validated by an experimental test of four empirically well-supported intervention techniques: information provision, self-commitment with goal setting, comparative feedback, and comparative feedback augmented by injunctive norms. As expected, information provision had no effect, self-commitment with goal setting increased energy-saving intention, while comparative feedback had the strongest effect. Study 2 ( N = 121) demonstrates the potential of EVM for analyzing mediating mechanisms, in this case how social norm and personal norm mediate the impact of comparative feedback. The findings underscore the value of the EVM as a methodology for systematic, controlled testing of causal intervention effects.

Due to the urgent need for global climate change mitigation, the use of renewable carbon sources and the application of circular economy principles represent promising ways to implement the necessary fundamental transformation toward a sustainable (i.e., carbon-neutral) carbon-based chemical industry. As this required transformation involves a multitude of stakeholders and requires broad societal support, social sciences have to be involved to inform possible transformation pathways. Although there is a growing body of social sciences research in the field of a circular plastics economy, some processes in the social sciences that have the potential to support the transformation process are still understudied. Based on a reflection of the current circular economy approach, we point out research needs in the following fields: (1) behavioral plasticity of consumer behaviors and potential side effects of mitigation strategies, (2) the dynamics of political framework conditions, and (3) the citizens’ literacy as relevant supporters of the transformation. We conclude that social sciences-related circular economy research is just beginning to understand the needs and willingness of actors involved in the transformation toward a sustainable carbon-based chemical industry, clearly implying the need for further contributions from the social sciences.