White Identity and Climate Change Skepticism: Assessing the Mediating Roles of Social Dominance Orientation and Conspiratorial Ideation

Prior research has found that white people are more likely to be climate change skeptics. In much of this prior work, identity is treated as a categorical label, limiting the theoretical and empirical understanding relationship. Drawing on survey data from US national sample 933 young adults, we theorize developmental process where explore meanings their racial commit marked by enhanced levels social dominance orientation conspiratorial ideation, two social-psychological constructs consistently associated with skepticism. Using regression analyses, tested mediation model strong would increase skepticism enhancing one’s ideation. We partial support for our model. While was positively only increased Conspiratorial ideation reduced discuss implications findings literature well how can inform policies could reduce among people.