Audience segmentation and climate change communication

Conceptual and methodological considerations

Dados Bibliográficos

ID12929465
AutoresDonald W Hine (0000-0002-3905-7026, University of New England, autor correspondente), Joseph Reser (0000-0002-1139-6587, Griffith University), Mark Morrison (0000-0002-8761-0682, Charles Sturt University), Wendy J Phillips (0000-0001-5063-5758, University of New England), Patrick Nunn (0000-0001-9295-5741, University of the Sunshine Coast), Ray Cooksey (0000-0003-0297-7256, University of New England)
Ano2014
Volume5
Fascículo4
Páginas441-459
Data de publicação2014-03-19
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoWiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Climate Change (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1757-7780 • E-ISSN: 1757-7799
EditoraWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/wcc.279
OpenAlexW1937174392
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas66
Referências citadas51

Engaging the public about mitigating or adapting to climate change threats poses significant challenges for scientists, policy makers, and others responsible for developing communication strategies. In response to these challenges, interest is growing in audience segmentation as a possible strategy to develop more effective communications that are tailored and targeted to subgroups of the public who share similar values, beliefs, behaviors, and/or policy preferences about climate change. In this article, we provide a brief historical overview of audience segmentation and its applications to marketing, health, politics, and most recently climate change. We then critically evaluate several conceptual arguments about whether segmentation is an appropriate strategy for climate change communications, review key methodological considerations associated with conducting segmentation analyses, and make several recommendations about best practice. We conclude that, in principle, audience segmentation and targeted messaging are potentially valuable tools for enhancing climate change communication. But, in practice, there are conceptual and methodological complexities of which practitioners and consumers should be aware when conducting and interpreting the results of segmentation studies. In addition, more research is required, particularly related to tailoring and targeting messages to identified segments, before these strategies can be considered to have a sufficient evidence base to warrant widespread adoption. This article is categorized under: Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Perceptions of Climate Change

Business · Climate change · Conceptual framework · Perception · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Segmentation · Social science · Sociology · Warrant · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Computer Science · Media Influence and Health · Media Studies and Communication · Psychology · Artificial Intelligence · Ecology