Feeling guilty, anxious or still hopeful? The role of distinct emotions in climate change mitigation behavior

Abstract

This study examines the role of experienced emotions in economic decision-making in the context of climate change. Using short video treatments in an experimental laboratory setting with 301 students, we successfully induce climate-related hope, anxiety, and guilt —emotions that are commonly addressed by NGOs to raise funds. We investigate the potential of our video treatments to affect one key dimension of climate change mitigation behavior: donations to NGOs engaging in CO2 emission reduction. In our experimental setting, we find that being in the guilt condition positively impacts donation behavior at the extensive margin, while being in the hope or anxiety condition negatively impacts donation behavior at the intensive margin. Experiencing anxiety, however, leads to a lower probability of donating larger amounts to spatially far away donation beneficiaries. Finally, we find that donating subsequently reduces guilt levels, indicating emotional relief. We argue that this finding aligns with theoretical considerations on the inclusion of emotions in the utility maximization framework.