A Note on the Perverse Effects of Actively Open-Minded Thinking on Climate-change Polarization

Abstract

This research note presents evidence that political polarization over the reality of human-caused climate change increases in tandem with individuals’ scores on a standard measure of Actively Open-minded Thinking. This finding is at odds with the position that attributes political conflict over facts to a personality trait of closed-mindedness associated with political conservatism.

Keywords: actively open minded thinking, cultural cognition, climate change, motivated reasoning, political polarization, decision science