Radical greens? How environmental influencers shape young social media users’ perceived environmental polarization, hopelessness, and collective action intentions
- Autor(en)
- Ariadne Neureiter, Alice Binder, Meda Mucundorfeanu, Delia C. Balaban, Jörg Matthes
- Abstrakt
As climate change progresses, environmental movements become more radical. Environmental social media influencers increasingly support radical environmental measures such as blocking traffic or destroying art on social media. Yet, it is unclear what effects radical environmental influencers on social media have on young adults’ perceptions of environmental polarization within society. Moreover, based on the theory of identity in intractable conflict and the Elaboration Likelihood Model, hate comments against environmental influencers, and young adults’ environmental knowledge might play a role in perceived environmental polarization triggered by radical environmental influencers. Results of a 2×2 experimental study with a quota-based sample of N = 776 young adults in Germany indicated that radical environmental influencers increased perceived environmental polarization and decreased collective environmental action intentions. Independent of radical environmental influencers, hate comments, and environmental knowledge heightened perceptions of environmental polarization, which was associated with feelings of environmental hopelessness. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
- Organisation(en)
- Institut für Publizistik- und Kommunikationswissenschaft
- Externe Organisation(en)
- Babeș-Bolyai University
- Journal
- Current Research in Ecological and Social Psychology
- Band
- 10
- ISSN
- 2666-6227
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cresp.2026.100269
- Publikationsdatum
- 03-2026
- Peer-reviewed
- Ja
- ÖFOS 2012
- 508007 Kommunikationswissenschaft
- Schlagwörter
- ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete
- Human Factors and Ergonomics, Social Psychology, Geography, Planning and Development, Psychology (miscellaneous)
- Link zum Portal
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/e98a897b-3a3d-4159-ad60-3fa0547207b4