Abstract:
Background: Achieving national reductions in greenhouse gas emissions will require public support for climate and energy
policies and changes in population behaviors. Audience segmentation – a process of identifying coherent groups within a
population – can be used to improve the effectiveness of public engagement campaigns.
Methodology/Principal Findings: In Fall 2008, we conducted a nationally representative survey of American adults
(n = 2,164) to identify audience segments for global warming public engagement campaigns. By subjecting multiple
measures of global warming beliefs, behaviors, policy preferences, and issue engagement to latent class analysis, we
identified six distinct segments ranging in size from 7 to 33% of the population. These six segments formed a continuum,
from a segment of people who were highly worried, involved and supportive of policy responses (18%), to a segment of
people who were completely unconcerned and strongly opposed to policy responses (7%). Three of the segments (totaling
70%) were to varying degrees concerned about global warming and supportive of policy responses, two (totaling 18%)
were unsupportive, and one was largely disengaged (12%), having paid little attention to the issue. Certain behaviors and
policy preferences varied greatly across these audiences, while others did not. Using discriminant analysis, we subsequently
developed 36-item and 15-item instruments that can be used to categorize respondents with 91% and 84% accuracy,
respectively.
Conclusions/Significance: In late 2008, Americans supported a broad range of policies and personal actions to reduce
global warming, although there was wide variation among the six identified audiences. To enhance the impact of
campaigns, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and businesses seeking to engage the public can selectively
target one or more of these audiences rather than address an undifferentiated general population. Our screening
instruments are available to assist in that process.