Salil D Benegal
Biographic Data
| ID | 1730121 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Salil D Benegal |
| GIVEN NAMES | Salil D |
| FAMILY NAME | Benegal |
| SIGNATURE | BENEGAL S D |
| AFFILIATIONS | DePauw University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-7759-5725 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 15 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 153 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 15 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Climate Politics in the Primaries
We examine primary voters’ perceptions of climate change and their preferences for environmental policy, and how these differ from non-primary voters and shape electoral incentives. Drawing on survey data from several waves of the American National Election Study, we document a partisan asymmetry in how primary voters think about climate change. We show that Republican primary voters have been more likely to endorse climate denial or delay views …
The Politics of Enmity
Several recent studies have sought to understand the impact of the “big lie”—the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump—and the impact of the events of January 6 on American democracy. This study seeks to understand why many Americans have come to accept election denialism and conspiratorial views related to January 6. Beyond the rhetoric and actions of Trump and his allies, we argue that outgroup prejudice—anti-Black rac…
Late-Deciding Voters in U.S. Presidential Elections
What leads some voters to delay their voting decision until just before Election Day while others make up their mind well in advance? Focusing on American presidential elections this research note evaluates reasons why individuals might delay their voting decision. Using data from the ANES time series between 1948 and 2020, the paper finds that late-deciding voters tend to be younger, are ambivalent toward the major candidates, less likely to be …
Blame over blackouts
Cost sensitivity, partisan cues, and support for the Green New Deal
How pandemic-related changes in global attitudes toward the scientific community shape “post-pandemic” environmental opinion
Low public concern about anthropogenic climate change (ACC)—due in part to distrust in the scientific community—may decrease demand for policies aimed at mitigating its deleterious effects. Encouragingly, though, recent research finds that experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic has elevated trust in scientific expertise worldwide. We explore the possibility that positive attitudes toward the medical community are “spilling over” to increase ACC a…
Overconfident, resentful, and misinformed
Objective We examine the role of racial resentment in motivating Americans to express confidence in misinformed beliefs on racialized scientific issues. Methods We study survey data from the 2020 American National Election Study. We examine respondents’ endorsement of misinformation on different scientific issues and their reported confidence in these views. Results We find that racial resentment plays a strong role in leading Americans to hold c…
Race, ethnicity, and support for climate policy
Addressing the increasing temperatures of the globe requires society-wide adaptation and mitigation efforts. One central challenge to these efforts is the resistance of groups to support broad policy efforts to reduce global temperatures, with particular resistance in the United States. While scholars have established that partisanship, ideology, demographic, and socio-economic characteristics shape support for climate policy, we do not yet under…
Racial prejudice, education, and views of climate change
Objective We examine the role of education in shaping attitudes about climate change and how it interacts with racial prejudice. Methods We analyze data from the 2012 and 2016 American National Election Study (ANES) and 2018 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES). Results We identify a paradoxical relationship in which education is associated with both lower levels of racial prejudice and increased support for climate policies, but also …
Correcting misinformation about climate change
Overconfidence and the discounting of expertise
Green Priorities
The spillover of race and racial attitudes into public opinion about climate change
The relationship between racial attitudes and public opinion about climate change is examined. Public opinion data from Pew and American National Election Studies surveys are used to show that racial identification and prejudices are increasingly correlated with opinions about climate change during the Obama presidency. Results show that racial identification became a significant predictor of climate change concern following Obama’s election in 2…
The impact of unemployment and economic risk perceptions on attitudes towards anthropogenic climate change
Declining public concern about climate change
Declining public concern about climate change
The spillover of race and racial attitudes into public opinion about climate change
The relationship between racial attitudes and public opinion about climate change is examined. Public opinion data from Pew and American National Election Studies surveys are used to show that racial identification and prejudices are increasingly correlated with opinions about climate change during the Obama presidency. Results show that racial identification became a significant predictor of climate change concern following Obama’s election in 2…
Green Priorities
Racial prejudice, education, and views of climate change
Objective We examine the role of education in shaping attitudes about climate change and how it interacts with racial prejudice. Methods We analyze data from the 2012 and 2016 American National Election Study (ANES) and 2018 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES). Results We identify a paradoxical relationship in which education is associated with both lower levels of racial prejudice and increased support for climate policies, but also …
Overconfident, resentful, and misinformed
Objective We examine the role of racial resentment in motivating Americans to express confidence in misinformed beliefs on racialized scientific issues. Methods We study survey data from the 2020 American National Election Study. We examine respondents’ endorsement of misinformation on different scientific issues and their reported confidence in these views. Results We find that racial resentment plays a strong role in leading Americans to hold c…
Blame over blackouts
The impact of unemployment and economic risk perceptions on attitudes towards anthropogenic climate change
Declining public concern about climate change
The impact of unemployment and economic risk perceptions on attitudes towards anthropogenic climate change
Correcting misinformation about climate change
Overconfidence and the discounting of expertise
Green Priorities
The spillover of race and racial attitudes into public opinion about climate change
The relationship between racial attitudes and public opinion about climate change is examined. Public opinion data from Pew and American National Election Studies surveys are used to show that racial identification and prejudices are increasingly correlated with opinions about climate change during the Obama presidency. Results show that racial identification became a significant predictor of climate change concern following Obama’s election in 2…
Racial prejudice, education, and views of climate change
Objective We examine the role of education in shaping attitudes about climate change and how it interacts with racial prejudice. Methods We analyze data from the 2012 and 2016 American National Election Study (ANES) and 2018 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES). Results We identify a paradoxical relationship in which education is associated with both lower levels of racial prejudice and increased support for climate policies, but also …
Race, ethnicity, and support for climate policy
Addressing the increasing temperatures of the globe requires society-wide adaptation and mitigation efforts. One central challenge to these efforts is the resistance of groups to support broad policy efforts to reduce global temperatures, with particular resistance in the United States. While scholars have established that partisanship, ideology, demographic, and socio-economic characteristics shape support for climate policy, we do not yet under…
How pandemic-related changes in global attitudes toward the scientific community shape “post-pandemic” environmental opinion
Low public concern about anthropogenic climate change (ACC)—due in part to distrust in the scientific community—may decrease demand for policies aimed at mitigating its deleterious effects. Encouragingly, though, recent research finds that experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic has elevated trust in scientific expertise worldwide. We explore the possibility that positive attitudes toward the medical community are “spilling over” to increase ACC a…
Overconfident, resentful, and misinformed
Objective We examine the role of racial resentment in motivating Americans to express confidence in misinformed beliefs on racialized scientific issues. Methods We study survey data from the 2020 American National Election Study. We examine respondents’ endorsement of misinformation on different scientific issues and their reported confidence in these views. Results We find that racial resentment plays a strong role in leading Americans to hold c…
Blame over blackouts
Cost sensitivity, partisan cues, and support for the Green New Deal
Late-Deciding Voters in U.S. Presidential Elections
What leads some voters to delay their voting decision until just before Election Day while others make up their mind well in advance? Focusing on American presidential elections this research note evaluates reasons why individuals might delay their voting decision. Using data from the ANES time series between 1948 and 2020, the paper finds that late-deciding voters tend to be younger, are ambivalent toward the major candidates, less likely to be …
Climate Politics in the Primaries
We examine primary voters’ perceptions of climate change and their preferences for environmental policy, and how these differ from non-primary voters and shape electoral incentives. Drawing on survey data from several waves of the American National Election Study, we document a partisan asymmetry in how primary voters think about climate change. We show that Republican primary voters have been more likely to endorse climate denial or delay views …
The Politics of Enmity
Several recent studies have sought to understand the impact of the “big lie”—the false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump—and the impact of the events of January 6 on American democracy. This study seeks to understand why many Americans have come to accept election denialism and conspiratorial views related to January 6. Beyond the rhetoric and actions of Trump and his allies, we argue that outgroup prejudice—anti-Black rac…
Climate Change Communication and Perception (12 works) · Political science (12 works) · Economics (10 works) · Politics (10 works) · Psychology (10 works) · Environmental Education and Sustainability (8 works) · Climate change (7 works) · Law (7 works) · Social Psychology (6 works) · Electoral Systems and Political Participation (4 works)