Not Just Funny After All: Sarcasm as a Catalyst for Public Engagement With Climate Change

    Collection:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
    Contributers:
    Anderson, Ashley A. (author), Becker, Amy B. (author), and Colorado State University Loyola University Maryland
    Format:
    Online journal article
    Publication Date:
    2018-07-13
    URL:
    https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1075547018786560
    Published:
    United States: SAGE
    Location:
    Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 121 Document Number: D11067
    Journal Title:
    Science Communication
    Journal Title Details:
    40(4) : 524-540
    Subject Term:
    attitudes, information, Internet, online systems, perceptions, public attitudes, scientific communication, television, social media, climate change, satire, late-night television, sarcasm, talk shows, The Onion, and The Weather Channel
    Notes:
    17 pages, via online journal, Sarcastic content is prevalent in online social media, although little research has explored its effects. In this study, we examine how exposure to one-sided versus two-sided sarcastic perspectives on climate change shapes beliefs about climate change. We find that exposure to one-sided messages that use irony to deride those who believe that climate change is a hoax (presented in The Onion) raises belief certainty in and perceived risk of climate change for those who do not already believe climate change is an important issue (N = 141). The two-sided message (presented by The Weather Channel) does not show any effects.

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