The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change as a Gateway Belief: Experimental Evidence

The research demonstrates that perceived scientific agreement acts as a gateway belief, where increasing public awareness of the scientific consensus causally leads to higher beliefs that climate change is occurring, human-caused, and a threat, which subsequently increases support for public action.

• There is a widespread public misunderstanding regarding the extent of the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change, both within the United States and internationally.
• Experimental data from 1,104 participants indicates that increasing public perceptions of scientific consensus is significantly and causally linked to an increase in the belief that climate change is happening, human-caused, and a worrisome threat.
• Changes in beliefs regarding the reality and cause of climate change, triggered by perceptions of scientific agreement, are predictive of increased support for public action.

APA

Team, M. 4. (2015). The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change as a Gateway Belief: Experimental Evidence. Center for Climate Change Communication. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/the-scientific-consensus-on-climate-change-as-a-gateway-belief/

Chicago

Team, Mason 4C. The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change as a Gateway Belief: Experimental Evidence. Center for Climate Change Communication, 2015. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/the-scientific-consensus-on-climate-change-as-a-gateway-belief/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Team |first1=Mason 4C |title=The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change as a Gateway Belief: Experimental Evidence |publisher=Center for Climate Change Communication |date=25 February 2015 |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/the-scientific-consensus-on-climate-change-as-a-gateway-belief/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{team2015scientific, author = {Team, Mason 4C}, title = {{The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change as a Gateway Belief: Experimental Evidence}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, year = {2015}, month = feb, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/all/the-scientific-consensus-on-climate-change-as-a-gateway-belief/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }