How Dare We? The Relation Between Language Use, Global Identity, and Climate Activism

Authors

  • Laura S. Loy Orcid
    Department of Social, Environmental and Economic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, RPTU University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany
  • Marivi Bauer
    Faculty of Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
  • Marlis C. Wullenkord Orcid
    Environmental Psychology Research Group, Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

Abstract

Identifying with and caring for people all over the world (i.e., a global identity) is positively related to pro-environmental behaviour. However, less is known how to foster such a global identity. Drawing on social identity theory, we investigated whether using inclusive (vs. exclusive) language in the context of demonstrations for climate protection increases people’s global identity. Moreover, we examined whether inclusive language use strengthens people’s intentions to engage in pro-environmental activism and their pro-environmental policy support, while reducing their denial of climate change implications, through a heightened global identity. In our pre-registered online experiment with a convenience sample mostly living in Germany (N = 307), we found no significant impacts of language use. Language effects did also not depend on people’s prior identification with the climate movement. However, our results show that, in line with our assumptions, the stronger people’s global identity, the more they intended to become pro-environmentally active, the more they supported pro-environmental policies, and the less they denied their impact on climate change.