Exploring the intersection of religion, religiosity, ideology and climate change perception of Americans

Abstract

The existing literature on the intersection between religion, religiosity, ideology and perceptions of climate change effects is limited. There is a notable gap in understanding how religious beliefs and practices shape individuals’ attitudes towards the impacts of climate change. However, a recent survey provides an excellent opportunity to fill this gap in the context of American society. A fuzzy hybrid analysis approach was used to analyse the dataset obtained from a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, which included 10,156 respondents, forming a nationally representative sample. The latent variable of climate change effects was measured using four items based on the likelihood of four events happening within the next 30 years. These events are: (1) Lower quality of life; (2) More extreme weather events, such as tornadoes, flooding and droughts; (3) An increase in refugees and displaced people; and (4) Food and water shortages. The results of the study highlight that religion, religiosity and ideology are key determinants in explaining the latent variable under investigation. Among the seventy-nine variables analysed, the influence of religious practices and beliefs stands out as particularly significant, underscoring their critical role in shaping the perceptions toward climate change effects.