Red, blue, and morally alike: Moral reframing of climate change works when we don't make incorrect assumptions
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Concern about climate change is politically polarized. Some researchers attribute this divide to moral differences between liberals and conservatives, and find that reframing climate messages around moral values presumably aligned with the recipient's ideology (e.g., purity for conservatives) can increase support for environmental action. We tested whether tailoring messages to participants' actual top moral value is more effective than presuming their moral priorities. Across three experiments (N = 3,455; two preregistered, census-matched, politically balanced samples), most liberals and conservatives shared the same top moral value: care and compassion. Personalizing climate messages to each individual’s top moral value modestly increased climate outcomes (e.g., climate concern, efficacy beliefs, policy support) across the political spectrum. Crucially, however, misassuming someone’s top moral value backfired among moderates and conservatives. These findings challenge narratives of deep moral division and suggest that personalized moral reframing may help bridge the political divide on climate change.
Institutions: Princeton University, New York University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7167228122