Government Efforts in Environmental Improvement Affect Individual Policy Support in China

Abstract

Collective climate action requires both robust system-level policies and public support at the individual level. This paper investigates how perceptions of government efforts influence public support for climate policies in China, addressing the potential "crowd-out" or "crowd-in" effects—where confidence in government action either diminishes or enhances individual support for systemic policies. Study 1 utilizes a nationally representative Chinese sample (N=3,799) to show that higher perceived government effort increases public backing for systemic solutions, such as taxes on energy-intensive industries and mandatory energy restrictions (total effect = 0.168 and 0.252, p<0.001). This relationship is mediated by perceived self-control. Study 2 extends the analysis with a survey experiment (N=500), further highlighting a reinforcing "crowd-in" effect: confidence in government action in one domain amplifies support for related systemic measures in another. These findings offer actionable insights for policymakers, particularly in the Chinese context, emphasizing the importance of aligning communication strategies with public perceptions to bolster support for systemic climate solutions.

Note:
Bill and Melinda Gates grant number(s): OPP1144

Data availability statement: The data used in this study is from the China General Social Survey (CGSS), and due to data restrictions, the full dataset is available on the CGSS official website (http://cgss.ruc.edu.cn/).

© 2025 The Authors. This preprint is posted by SSRN.

Keywords: Perceived self-control, Crowd-out effect, Individual action, Climate Communication