LEWISBURG, Pa. — A study published in the December issue of the journal Sustainable Futures, co-authored by Bucknell University Professor T. Joel Wade, psychology, explored the influence of familial nudging on attitudes towards climate change and monetary contributions. It found that familial nudging has value as a complementary tool alongside regulatory and economic instruments in raising capital to address climate change, which often require substantial public investment, typically through taxation.
But the study also found that the gap between attitude change and willingness to pay indicates that policymakers cannot rely on attitude shifts alone when it comes to addressing the issue.
Wade’s specific role in the study evolved around the methodology, which included online surveys and statistical comparison, as well as the conceptualization. The surveys ultimately analyzed over 15,000 responses from four different countries
“I helped with the conception of the study, and the writing of the manuscript. It is not part of my main research, but it involves Evolutionary Theory, which is the theoretical perspective my main research uses,” Wade says. “We [this group of researchers] have other Evolutionary Theory based manuscripts using nudging that are currently under review for consideration for publication also.”
The study offers a unique perspective because of its wide-range. Like Professor Wade, those involved in the study brought unique perspectives, hailing from countries across the world, including Japan, Canada, the U.S., and Norway. Each of these countries presents distinct policies and societal awareness surrounding climate change and carbon neutrality.
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CONTACTS: T. Joel Wade, 570-577-1693, t.joel.wade@bucknell.edu; Mike Ferlazzo, 570-577-3212, 570-238-6266 (c), mike.ferlazzo@bucknell.edu