About the databaseThis study aims to create an accessible database of images for use in climate research, with image ratings performed by a sample of non-experts in order to be more suited for use with non-expert audiences. Each of these images were rated by 64 participants on 3 different variables: relevance to climate change, arousal (how calming or exciting the image appears), and valence (how negative or positive the image appears), on a scale of 1 through 9. The images in the database appear in order of relevance to climate change, with the first image having been rated the most relevant and the last image having been rated the least relevant to climate change.
The average relevance to climate change rating is 5.909 (SD = 1.033). The average emotional arousal rating is 4.651 (SD = 0.531). The average emotional valence rating is 4.793 (SD = 1.382). The images' average relevance ratings were found to be significantly positively correlated with average arousal ratings, and significantly negatively correlated with average valence ratings; thus, images that were rated as highly relevant to climate change also tended to be rated as exciting and negative. Participants' environmental attitudes were also surveyed using the New Ecological Paradigm Scale (NEP; Dunlap, Van Liere, Mertig, & Jones, 2000), with an average composite score being 53.177 (SD = 8.434). The scale's maximum composite score is 75 and the minimum composite score is 15. (Original paper containing full list of NEP survey items) Participants' NEP scores were found to be significantly positively correlated with the average relevance scores of the 32 images rated most relevant to climate change, as well as significantly positively correlated with the average relevance scores of the 32 images rated least relevant to climate change. Participants with higher NEP scores, who are likely to have stronger pro-environmental views, were thus most likely to give the most relevant images high relevance ratings and least relevant images low relevance ratings. |