Climate Change in the American Mind

The report presents survey data from 2013 across four US states, revealing that while majorities believe global warming is happening, there are significant regional differences in perceived causes, levels of worry, and understanding of scientific consensus. It highlights a general trend where respondents view global warming as a distant threat and believe corporations and individuals should take more responsibility than government officials.

• Majorities in California, Colorado, Ohio, and Texas believe global warming is occurring, with the highest level of agreement in California at 79% and 70% in the other three states.
• Perceptions of the cause of global warming vary by state; 58% of Californians attribute it mostly to human activities, compared to 49% of Ohioans, 48% of Coloradans, and 44% of Texans. In Texas, 31% believe it is caused mostly by natural changes in the environment.
• Respondents generally perceive global warming as a distant threat, expressing higher concern for plant and animal species and future generations than for their own families or themselves. For example, only 14% to 19% of respondents across the four states believe global warming will cause a great deal of harm to them personally.
• There is a significant gap in the understanding of scientific consensus outside of California; in Colorado, Ohio, and Texas, respondents are more likely to say scientists disagree than agree that global warming is happening, whereas 55% of Californians understand that scientists agree.
• Across all four states, respondents believe that corporations, industry, and individuals should do more to address global warming than the government. In California, 53% specifically state that corporations and industry should be doing 'much more'.
• There is broad support for the United States reducing greenhouse gas emissions independently of other countries, with support ranging from 55% in Texas to 73% in California.
• A large majority of residents in all four states support tax rebates for the purchase of solar panels or energy-efficient vehicles, with support levels between 77% in Texas and 81% in California.
• Most respondents believe that transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy would increase economic growth in their state, a sentiment most pronounced in California where 51% believe it would increase growth compared to 19% who believe it would decrease growth.

APA

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication (n.d.). Climate Change in the American Mind. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2016/02/2013_10_Climate-Change-in-the-American-Mind.pdf

Chicago

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Climate Change in the American Mind. n.d. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2016/02/2013_10_Climate-Change-in-the-American-Mind.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Yale Program on Climate Change Communication |title=Climate Change in the American Mind |url=https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2016/02/2013_10_Climate-Change-in-the-American-Mind.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yaleprogramonclimatechangecommunicationndclimate, author = {{Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}}, title = {{Climate Change in the American Mind}}, institution = {Yale Program on Climate Change Communication}, url = {https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/app/uploads/2016/02/2013_10_Climate-Change-in-the-American-Mind.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }