Understanding Climate Change Threat Perception: Exploring Implications for Everyday Altruistic Behavior

Abstract

Recent findings during the COVID-19 pandemic have indicated that humans may become more prosocial in response to real-world threatening situations. However, it is unknown whether similar effects are observed with global environmental threats such as climate change. This study investigates how the perception of climate change as an imminent threat is associated with everyday altruism and defensive emotions. We collected online questionnaire data from a diverse sample of 179 participants, aged 18 to 64, assessing self-report measures of perceived climate change threat, altruistic behavior, and defensive emotions (e.g. stress, anxiety). Using linear regression models, results indicated that higher levels of climate change worry are significantly associated with increased altruistic behavior, particularly among employed and older individuals. These results suggest that the worry triggered by climate change can motivate prosocial and altruistic actions. The findings highlight an association between defensive emotional responses related to climate change and altruistic behavior in the context of global environmental threats.