Worry's Clout: Concern, not positive affectivity, drives climate activism

Abstract

In a one-year, three-wave longitudinal study from July 2021 to July 2022, the relationship between climate-related worry, positive affectivity when reflecting on climate change, and climate activism was examined. The study involved a stratified sample of Germans aged 16–70 years, representative of both gender and age. To enable the analyses, the Climate Activism Scale (CLAC) was developed. Despite the urgency of the climate issue, only a minority of individuals actively participate in climate activism; violent or illegal forms of protest do not accurately represent climate activists. Using continuous time structural equation modeling, the findings reveal a reciprocal relationship between climate activism and worry about climate change. Climate worry predicts increased activism but activism also increases worry. The effects peak after one year. Climate positive affectivity does not predict activism; instead, engagement against climate change marginally decreases climate-related positive affectivity. The data also show that climate-related positive affectivity is a stronger indicator of denial-based hope rather than constructive hope. The findings emphasize the greater relevance of negative emotions in driving societal engagement against climate change. However, exploratory analyses reveal that emotional ambivalence—the combination of climate-related worry and positive affectivity—is more effective than worry alone in predicting climate activism.