Cornell study: Americans doubt emotional climate posts
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- Cornell University researchers led by Talbot Andrews ran six experiments with nearly 6,400 participants and found that emotional climate‑change posts were judged less authentic and appropriate than neutral ones.
- The study reported that skepticism persisted even when participants agreed politically with the speaker, and was strongest when a sad face appeared in TikTok‑style screenshots.
- Cambridge Elements published the monograph "Emotions on Our Screens," which concludes that emotional expression online does not reliably persuade others or reduce climate‑change concern.
- Survey data from 2023 showed 66% of Americans were at least somewhat worried about climate change and 55% reported experiencing its effects, framing eco‑anxiety as the backdrop for the research.
- Andrews emphasized that while emotional posts can help users find community, they are often seen as manipulative and rarely change others’ minds.
Why it matters: The findings show that climate‑change advocates and political communicators cannot count on emotional posts to sway public opinion; neutral messaging is perceived as more authentic, meaning emotional appeals lose persuasive power while audiences retain a skeptical filter against perceived manipulation.
