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Multi-Item Scale:

Now follow various statements that some people agree with, but others disagree with. What about you? For each statement, please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree. <br> <i>[Nun folgen verschiedene Aussagen, denen manche Leute zustimmen, die andere aber auch ablehnen. Wie ist das bei Ihnen? Geben Sie bitte zu jeder Aussage an, inwieweit Sie ihr zustimmen oder nicht.]</i>

Item Text:

a. Climate change is mainly caused by human activity. [Der Klimawandel wird hauptsächlich durch menschliches Handeln verursacht.]

Different Answer Format Tested:

Nein

Findings:

What do respondents think of when answering this item?
The majority of persons agreed "rather" (n = 5) or "completely" (n = 2) with the statement, two persons located themselves in the middle response category (n = 2), and one subject “rather disagreed” with the statement.
When answering the item, the test persons primarily addressed the CO2 emissions caused by humans:
  • "Now, for example, all our big companies that then burn everything and emit all the toxins into the environment." (TP 01)
  • "To the many SUV[-drivers] with their big cars and their fuel consumption and many original holidays with airplane and many business trips, which are made quickly times with the air-plane and where very much CO2 is emitted. So, everything that is normal for many people [...], eating a lot of meat and so on. That [this] is all human activity, which could well be influ-enced by making people aware of these things." (TP 05)
Only one respondent explicitly mentioned climate change:
  • "Thinking about issues like temperature changes, weather events that weren't so common in the past, heavy rains and things like that. That's what I was thinking about." (TP 09)
In addition, a few persons (TP 04, 06, 07, 08) addressed natural climate change - in addition to man-made - explaining their chosen response category:
  • "The climate has been changing for thousands of years without human influence. But still, humans have a part in forcing climate change. Hence 'neither disagree nor agree'." (TP 07, response: neither disagree nor agree).
  • "Well, the climate is changing. I think it's due to something bigger that we have little influence on. Of course we have some influence, but when you see how much the sun is affecting it, and when it's gone, it immediately gets cool. That's why I don't say, 'completely disagree.' Humans have influence, but certainly not to the extent that people always like to portray it." (TP 06, answer: rather disagree).

Recommendations:

No changes recommended.

Question tested:

false