Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Abstract: Environmental policy is a politically charged issue, and overt pro-environmental messaging is often ineffective. Here we consider a more indirect, alternative strategy: consumer product reviews of attractive, environmentally friendly products. Electric vehicle (EV) policy is a domain with potential for bipartisan agreement, but U.S. Republicans are currently less supportive of EV adoption than Democrats. We hypothesized that Republicans would undergo a pro-environmental shift through engagement with EVs that are perceived as aligned with their values. In four experiments, Republicans (N = 4,150) learned about an EV, a gas-powered vehicle, or no vehicle. They evaluated each vehicle for consumer appeal and fit with their values before reporting on their environmental attitudes. We find that evaluating a value-aligned EV can increase support for EV adoption. Moreover, we find that providing a review is both more effective and more enjoyable than merely receiving information, contributing to this strategy’s potential for impact.
Authors: Jacob B. Rode, Joshua D. Greene
Institution: Harvard University
Language: English
Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4411960137