Communication and Mental Processes

The text posits that people process uncertainty through both analytical and experiential systems, suggesting that translating statistical climate data into concrete, vicarious experiences can better motivate contingency planning and action than analytical understanding alone.

• Human processing of uncertainty information occurs via two distinct systems: an analytical system and an experiential processing system, though climate communications typically assume only the former is used.
• Translating statistical data into concrete, vicarious experiences improves the intuitive understanding of probabilistic information and encourages contingency planning.
• The use of group discussions or simulations to share vicarious experiences provides a more representative sample of relevant experience, and the resulting emotional impact of concretizing abstract risks motivates action more effectively than analytical understanding.

APA

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (2006). Communication and Mental Processes. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/communication-and-mental-processes/

Chicago

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Communication and Mental Processes. 2006. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/communication-and-mental-processes/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Yale Program on Climate Change Communication |title=Communication and Mental Processes |date=15 October 2006 |url=https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/communication-and-mental-processes/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yaleprogramonclimatechangecommunication2006communication, author = {{Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{Communication and Mental Processes}}, institution = {Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}, year = {2006}, month = oct, url = {https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/communication-and-mental-processes/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }