Does tomorrow ever come? Disaster narrative and public perceptions of climate change
The film The Day After Tomorrow depicts the abrupt and catastrophic transformation of the Earth’s climate into a new ice age, playing upon the uncertainty surrounding a possible North Atlantic thermohaline circulation (Gulf Stream) shutdown. This paper investigates the impact of the film on people’s...
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ftuniveastangl:oai:ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk:19552 2023-05-15T17:33:28+02:00 Does tomorrow ever come? Disaster narrative and public perceptions of climate change Lowe, Thomas Brown, Katrina Dessai, Suraje Doria, Miguel de França Haynes, Kat Vincent, Katharine 2006 https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/19552/ https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662506063796 unknown Lowe, Thomas, Brown, Katrina, Dessai, Suraje, Doria, Miguel de França, Haynes, Kat and Vincent, Katharine (2006) Does tomorrow ever come? Disaster narrative and public perceptions of climate change. Public Understanding of Science, 15 (4). pp. 435-457. doi:10.1177/0963662506063796 Article PeerReviewed 2006 ftuniveastangl https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662506063796 2023-01-30T21:24:25Z The film The Day After Tomorrow depicts the abrupt and catastrophic transformation of the Earth’s climate into a new ice age, playing upon the uncertainty surrounding a possible North Atlantic thermohaline circulation (Gulf Stream) shutdown. This paper investigates the impact of the film on people’s perception of climate change through a survey of filmgoers in the UK. Analysis focuses on four issues: the likelihood of extreme impacts; concern over climate change versus other global problems; motivation to take action; and responsibility for the problem of climate change. It finds that seeing the film, at least in the short term, changed people’s attitudes; viewers were significantly more concerned about climate change, and about other environmental risks. However, while the film increased anxiety about environmental risks, viewers experienced difficulty in distinguishing science fact from dramatized science fiction. Their belief in the likelihood of extreme events as a result of climate change was actually reduced. Following the film, many viewers expressed strong motivation to act on climate change. However, although the film may have sensitized viewers and motivated them to act, the public do not have information on what action they can take to mitigate climate change. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic North atlantic Thermohaline circulation University of East Anglia: UEA Digital Repository Public Understanding of Science 15 4 435 457 |
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University of East Anglia: UEA Digital Repository |
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The film The Day After Tomorrow depicts the abrupt and catastrophic transformation of the Earth’s climate into a new ice age, playing upon the uncertainty surrounding a possible North Atlantic thermohaline circulation (Gulf Stream) shutdown. This paper investigates the impact of the film on people’s perception of climate change through a survey of filmgoers in the UK. Analysis focuses on four issues: the likelihood of extreme impacts; concern over climate change versus other global problems; motivation to take action; and responsibility for the problem of climate change. It finds that seeing the film, at least in the short term, changed people’s attitudes; viewers were significantly more concerned about climate change, and about other environmental risks. However, while the film increased anxiety about environmental risks, viewers experienced difficulty in distinguishing science fact from dramatized science fiction. Their belief in the likelihood of extreme events as a result of climate change was actually reduced. Following the film, many viewers expressed strong motivation to act on climate change. However, although the film may have sensitized viewers and motivated them to act, the public do not have information on what action they can take to mitigate climate change. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lowe, Thomas Brown, Katrina Dessai, Suraje Doria, Miguel de França Haynes, Kat Vincent, Katharine |
spellingShingle |
Lowe, Thomas Brown, Katrina Dessai, Suraje Doria, Miguel de França Haynes, Kat Vincent, Katharine Does tomorrow ever come? Disaster narrative and public perceptions of climate change |
author_facet |
Lowe, Thomas Brown, Katrina Dessai, Suraje Doria, Miguel de França Haynes, Kat Vincent, Katharine |
author_sort |
Lowe, Thomas |
title |
Does tomorrow ever come? Disaster narrative and public perceptions of climate change |
title_short |
Does tomorrow ever come? Disaster narrative and public perceptions of climate change |
title_full |
Does tomorrow ever come? Disaster narrative and public perceptions of climate change |
title_fullStr |
Does tomorrow ever come? Disaster narrative and public perceptions of climate change |
title_full_unstemmed |
Does tomorrow ever come? Disaster narrative and public perceptions of climate change |
title_sort |
does tomorrow ever come? disaster narrative and public perceptions of climate change |
publishDate |
2006 |
url |
https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/19552/ https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662506063796 |
genre |
North Atlantic North atlantic Thermohaline circulation |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic North atlantic Thermohaline circulation |
op_relation |
Lowe, Thomas, Brown, Katrina, Dessai, Suraje, Doria, Miguel de França, Haynes, Kat and Vincent, Katharine (2006) Does tomorrow ever come? Disaster narrative and public perceptions of climate change. Public Understanding of Science, 15 (4). pp. 435-457. doi:10.1177/0963662506063796 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662506063796 |
container_title |
Public Understanding of Science |
container_volume |
15 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
435 |
op_container_end_page |
457 |
_version_ |
1766131975017463808 |