Frames and Assumptions

Most campaigns to engage the public on climate are built on assumptions about human nature, how social change happens, and what motivates people. Many of these assumptions are faulty, but they are rarely questioned. Assumptions are important – whether or not we recognize them consciously – because they play a role in shaping the goals, strategies, and tactics of our climate campaigns. This collection of assumptions is not meant to be comprehensive, but we believe it represents most of the important assumptions behind climate engagement campaigns, and we have designed this group as “doorways” to the social science literature.

We need to make the issues tangible.
Hope and positivity work.
Long-term thinking is hard for people.
People respond to credible messengers.
People just don't care.
Fear is motivating.
People need rewards to take action.
Protecting the planet motivates people.
Moral arguments work.
Self-interest trumps social good.
People are in denial.
People coalesce around a common enemy.
People are uninformed.
People want to fit in.
People need to have efficacy.
Ideology trumps all.
People are averse to risk and loss.

See how our Frames and Assumptions have been incorporated into Field Examples.