International Journal of Education and Social Science (IJESS)

Digital activism helps foster climate change discussion. Digital activism helps produce face to face meetings. This research provides views and potential actions about climate change based on a large sample of well-educated Americans with a wide-spectrum of political views. The present study shows the type of digital activism that can be most successful with this population. Gifford (2011) found that we are hindered by seven categories of psychological barriers, or “dragons of inaction”: limited cognition about the problem, ideological worldviews that tend to preclude pro- environmental attitudes and behavior, comparisons with key other people, sunk costs and behavioral momentum, discredence toward experts and authorities, perceived risks of change, and positive but inadequate behavior change. This sample knows enough, has the right worldview, compares with the right people, has sunk costs, and may even have momentum. Sixty- seven percent of all respondents were willing to participate in digital activism. Volunteering time was chosen by 57%, volunteering money was chosen by 23%, and participating in hybrid (online and in-person discussions) was chosen by 68%. Seventy-three percent would discuss solutions to climate change in-person and 66%, online. Only 15% say they would do nothing.