Social Dominance Orientation & Climate Change Belief

Abstract

Social dominance orientation (SDO) has consistently been linked to climate change denial and opposition to pro-environmental policies. However, recent research suggests that the subdimensions of SDO, namely SDO-D (dominance) and SDO-E (anti-egalitarianism), may have differential associations with climate change attitudes. This study aims to investigate the unique contributions of SDO-D and SDO-E to climate change beliefs while controlling for a wide range of socioeconomic and demographic variables. Utilizing data from an online survey, we find that SDO-E is a stronger predictor of climate change denial than SDO-D. This report highlights the importance of considering the multidimensional nature of SDO in understanding environmental attitudes.