A Review of CLT-based Empirical Research on Climate Change Communication from 2010 to 2021

ABSTRACTOne major challenge in communicating climate change to the public is the prevailing perception of it as a psychologically distant and abstract issue, which often leads to a lack of action. To tackle this challenge, environmental scholars and professionals have employed Construal Level Theory (CLT) to reduce the psychological distance associated with climate change and foster a more immediate and tangible perception of its risks. This study presents a comprehensive review of empirical research conducted between 2010 and 2021 that examines climate change communication within the framework of CLT. The analysis encompasses 68 articles, and the review uncovers a significant research gap. While reducing psychological distance to climate change appears to enhance awareness and concern about the issue, it does not consistently translate into climate engagement, such as pro-environmental intentions or behaviors. The study explores potential explanations for this gap and suggests future research directions to address this issue effectively.KEYWORDS: Climate changepsychological distanceconstrual levelcommunicationreview Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.Notes1 The entire list of the articles and their summaries is not included in this article due to its length, but it is available upon request.