Skeptic movies meet their goal whereas alarmist ones do not

From a submission by WUWT reader Benoît Rittaud and the “avert your eyes” department comes this bit of inconvenient psychology.

The Journal of Environment Psychology just published a (paywalled) paper by Tobias Greitemeyer (University of Innsbruck, Department of Psychology, Austria), entitled Beware of climate change skeptic films. That is the actual title of the peer reviewed paper.

The only problem is that in the study, it turns out skeptic films seem to be more effective than alarmist films.

Abstract

Although there is broad scientific consensus that global warming is happening and that it is human-caused, these issues are denied by climate change skeptics. The present two studies examined to what extent (and why) climate change affirming and climate change skeptic films are successful in affecting people’s environmental concern. Relative to a neutral film condition, watching a climate change skeptic film decreased environmental concern, whereas watching a climate change affirming film did not affect participant’s concern. Mediation analyses showed that watching a climate change skeptic film decreased participants’ consideration of future consequences, which in turn decreased their environmental concern. Possible reasons why climate change affirming films did not affect participant’s environmental concern are discussed.

Of course, in the paper, the possibility that people are able to see whether the propaganda lies on An Inconvenient Truth side or on The Great Global Warming Swindle side is not taken in consideration.

Eric Horowitz, of Psychology Today, reports on this paper here saying: Are We Losing the War on Climate Change Cinema?

He muses:

The results suggest that there may be something about climate skeptic films that makes them more powerful.

Maybe because skeptic films portray facts and truth compared to unsupportable claims?

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Joe Prins
July 1, 2013 4:35 pm

Janice at 3:07 pm:
As a Canadian, thanks and Happy Canada Day to the world. Being Canadian we never really shout anything from the rooftops. So, well, un-Canadian. Of course there once was a battle in 1812, I forgot who won. Vimy ridge would come to mind as something Canadians remember, but that would be on April 9th. Naw, we are just “cool”.

Janice Moore
July 1, 2013 4:43 pm

Dear Joe Prins,
“Being Canadian we … are just “cool”.
Yes, indeed, you are.
Warm regards,
Janice

Chad Wozniak
July 1, 2013 4:44 pm

What arrogance and effrontery – all this mollusk’s paper can offer to refute the skeptic argument is a choice bit of ad hominem – calling skeptics “crackpots.” I suppose he thinks that’s evidence.
@Janice Moore – do you remember how, in the Poseidon Adventure, when the ship capsized its hull was as clean as the driven snow? No barnacles?? (Not to mention that the tidal wave or tsunami or whatever it was that capsized it was as phony as a 3-dollar bill.) (woops – I better be careful – from 1854 to 1889 the US minted a 3-dollar gold piece! But as far as I know, never issued a 3-dollar bill.)
hladik – a hat tippo – well said indeed.

Jay
July 1, 2013 4:44 pm

AGW is a political movement based on a theory thats been carried forth by the lib left political establishment.. Government, schools and the media will vote for their pet cause as sure as they will vote for the next one answer multiple choice question (their next leader)..
One really only has to look at the (left/right) political orientation of any given population sample to know in advance what the support for this political cause is going to be.. The best one can hope for is your opponents don’t show up on election day, but that hardly makes one a believer..
Europe loves global warming because there is no functional right wing to oppose it there..
North America with a functional right wing is and will always be problematic to the cause..
The rest of the world is either lining up for climate justice free money or extremely amused at the western democracies killing their own economy..

temp
July 1, 2013 4:46 pm

pretty sure they are already deleting and censoring comment at the place.

Janice Moore
July 1, 2013 4:50 pm

Chad W. — Hi! No… but, I just spent quite awhile looking at video clips on YouTube and, so, I saw the pristine hull of little Tommy’s model (that his dad snuck off to the set that day). Good one, lol. Reminds me of some guy that is TRYING to claim that the deeeeeep oceans are warming radically despite no warming of the water higher up. Now THAT is weird.
How’s the music? How’s the book? I’m hopeful for you (and praying).

Latitude
July 1, 2013 4:51 pm

Although there is broad scientific consensus that global warming is happening and that it is human-caused…..even though the global climate computer games were 100% wrong about everything

Jimbo
July 1, 2013 4:52 pm

I wanted to say a whole lot but I’ll leave it to Churchill.

The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.”
Winston Churchill

PS I am not a conservative.

Janice Moore
July 1, 2013 4:57 pm

“…it’s probably just because they are filed under fiction.” [Latitude at 4:06PM]
You summed up all I blathered on and on about in one sentence. Applause for your witty brevity!

Jimbo
July 1, 2013 4:59 pm

Look guys, when did lies ever win in the long run? A lie may be exposed in minutes, an hour, a day, a week, a month, decades even, but in the end it will be exposed. AGW is based on exaggeration of the effects of warming for the rest of this century. A little warmth and co2 is great. Take a look at the biosphere and remember that we have been coming out of the Little Ice Age. Just look at the temperature jump between 1910 to 1940.
http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/graphs_v3/Fig.A2.gif
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/media/image/j/l/warmingtrend.gif

David Ball
July 1, 2013 5:07 pm

I think “The Holy Grail” is an excellent skeptic movie.
(sound of coconut halves being knocked together, fading to the distance,….)

Alex
July 1, 2013 5:09 pm

I think that while it is still too early to genuinely attribute weather and temperature to to climate change, burning tons of fossil fuels such that we have no passed 400 ppm of atmospheric CO2 can’t be a good thing.

Janice Moore
July 1, 2013 5:15 pm

Re: Jimbo 4:59PM – No WONDER the Fantasy Science Club is yelling so loudly. LOL. Not a conservative, eh? Well, you are smart enough to be one (just KIDDING) — we’re on the same team, here. Your posts, as I’ve told you before and as you usually ignore) are among the finest on WUWT.
*******************
lol, David Ball, yes, when the Truth in Science folks make a movie they use REAL things that produce a realistic “cloppity — cloppity.” The poor ol’ Fantasy Science Club only has model coconut shells made out of paper mache — not so realistic (head shake).

gacooke
July 1, 2013 5:18 pm

James Schrumpf says:
July 1, 2013 at 1:58 pm
“Wait, “skeptic” films? There are such things? Could someone name a few of them?”
http://m4gw.com/category/videos/

FerdinandAkin
July 1, 2013 5:19 pm

I thought Elmer’s M4GW movie was pretty good.

Marian
July 1, 2013 5:25 pm

BarryW says:
“July 1, 2013 at 1:35 pm
My God, how dare those skeptics use facts against us!”
LOL:
Yeah, you’d think the Alarmist science are the religious zealots.
While the skeptics are the ‘evil’ heritics.
Quite plain and simple alright why alarmist propaganda isn’t working and skeptic films are.
Stop piling on the Alarmist over exaggerrated pile of BS.
Stop using fraudulent data. Stop making false projections/predictions, etc.
And above all else stop downright lying.

Jay
July 1, 2013 5:27 pm

Although there is broad scientific consensus that global warming is happening and that it is human-caused…
———–
What conclusion do you expect AGW climate scientists to come to? No warming = no job.
Although there is broad religious consensus that god exists and is real?
Although there is broad military consensus that we need more weapons?
Conflict of interest is not excused simply because its been ordered from above..
In fact it compounds the problem and makes any sort of self regulation near impossible..

Isgdoc
July 1, 2013 6:30 pm

I hate to be the purveyor of doom, but this isn’t exactly good news. When the warmists believe they are winning, they allow the lesser ones to play their own games. Now that they know that their line isn’t swallowed by the proverbial starving college students, prepare for active suppression of the countervailing view.
Obama picks now to start his green initiative, despite all of the reasons not to. He doesn’t have the votes to raise money with a carbon tax, but can wreck the economy and has promised to do so. He’s already promised to make Catholics pay for abortions. All of the major newspapers are dependent on government notice publications at full advertising prices, all of the networks dependent on airtime. Obama has used the odious 1917 Espionage act more times than all of the other subsequent presidents combined. He blatantly flouted the constitution to nominate his cronies during non-existent recesses.
Now that they know no one will believe them if they hear anyone else, prepare for the suppression of the anyone else.

Gail Combs
July 1, 2013 6:39 pm

Donald Corleone says: July 1, 2013 at 1:50 pm
Social science mmm a name appears on my radar , could it be Stapel , yes !!
Yes Diederik Stapel , a former professor of social psychology at Tilburg University …
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Actually he was Dean.

University World News: Dean may face data fraud charges
The inquiry found that Stapel, former professor of cognitive social psychology and dean of Tilburg’s school of social and behavioural sciences, fabricated data published in at least 30 scientific publications, inflicting “serious harm” on the reputation and career opportunities of young scientists entrusted to him.
Some 35 co-authors are implicated in the publications, dating from 2000 to 2006 when he worked at the University of Groningen. In 14 out of 21 PhD theses where Stapel was a supervisor, the theses were written using data that was allegedly fabricated by him……

One wonders if the social and behavioural sciences are trying for an even worse reputation than they already have. Sure looks like it.

Zeke
July 1, 2013 6:39 pm

“He blatantly flouted the constitution to nominate his cronies during non-existent recesses.” ~Isgdoc
Lunch, recess. Same thing.

Birdieshooter
July 1, 2013 6:40 pm

When the observed data support the AGW theories then they might get a different reaction. Until then forget it.

TBear
July 1, 2013 6:48 pm

The thing with CAGW movies is they are per se unbelievable and insist on using those dark monotone voice overs. It’s just p[lain boring and patronizing. There is also the issue of overkill and people sick to death of being told we are all doomed. Almost every documentary about any feature of the natural world has been, for at least the past decade, spoiled by some inevitable return to claims about how humans are screwing the planet. The Bear has given up watching nature documentaries. Sick of the BS, to be frank.

Gail Combs
July 1, 2013 6:55 pm

Jay says:
July 1, 2013 at 3:56 pm
Hicks dont call gas petrol…
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Americans do not call gasoline, petrol, we call it gas, so Danny Boy is not from the USA much less CA but I will agree he is from Stupidville.

Gail Combs
July 1, 2013 7:00 pm

Tim Neilson says:
July 1, 2013 at 4:17 pm
What the flying duck is “Environmental Psychology”?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Another way to grab grants from the climate gravy train. The ‘Soft” sciences were feeling left out so they invented a new name.

Gail Combs
July 1, 2013 7:09 pm

David Ball says:
July 1, 2013 at 5:07 pm
I think “The Holy Grail” is an excellent skeptic movie….
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
ROTFLMAO, Just throw in a Mel Brooks move for the second skeptic movie in the study. Spaceballs or Blazing Saddles perhaps? Yeah, Blazing Saddles it is so appropriate.