Understanding climate scientific uncertainty
How undergraduate students’ epistemic views shape climate concern and action
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21589239 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yuh‐Yuh Li (0000-0002-2277-8775, National Sun Yat-sen University), Meng-Fen Yen (0009-0005-7520-1979, National Chung Cheng University), Meng‐Fen Yen (National Chung Cheng University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-23 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-11 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Science Education, Part B (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2154-8455 • E-ISSN: 2154-8463 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/09500693.2026.2672669 |
| OpenAlex | W7164349464 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 44 |
This study investigates how students’ perceptions of scientific uncertainty influence their concern and actions regarding climate change. Using the Uncertainty Intensification Hypothesis, which suggests that uncertainty increases emotional responses; Construal Level Theory, which connects psychological distance to abstract thinking; and the Nature of Science (NOS) framework, which highlights uncertainty as inherent to scientific inquiry, we define climate uncertainty as a multidimensional construct that includes measurement uncertainty, perceived ambiguity, and uncertainty about future impacts. We surveyed 633 Taiwanese undergraduates using a validated instrument that measured three dimensions: climate uncertainty, climate concern, and climate action. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to examine the relationships among these variables. Perceived ambiguity and future uncertainty were negatively associated with climate concern, whereas measurement uncertainty was positively associated with concern and, indirectly, with action. These findings indicate that recognising uncertainty as an inherent aspect of science can strengthen climate engagement. Integrating NOS principles into climate education builds epistemic trust and resilience, enabling students to make informed judgments and take responsible action. By empirically demonstrating how different dimensions of scientific uncertainty affect students’ climate concern and action, this study supports the need for NOS-informed climate education that prepares learners for reflective, evidence-based reasoning and responsible engagement
Action research · Climate change · Climate science · Environmental education · Science education · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Educational Strategies and Epistemologies · Science Education and Pedagogy
Navigating Environmental Attitudes
Effect of the Number of Response Categories on the Reliability and Validity of Rating Scales
Environmental Attitude and Ecological Behaviour
Do Data Characteristics Change According to the Number of Scale Points Used? An Experiment Using 5-Point, 7-Point and 10-Point Scales
Finding Our Way
Ethnic Variation in Environmental Belief and Behavior
Social Structural and Social Psychological Bases of Environmental Concern
Managing uncertainty in scientific argumentation
The environmental attitudes inventory
Scientific literacy for citizenship
The Psychology of Transcending the Here and Now
Uncertainty and anticipation in anxiety
Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis
The theory of planned behavior
Principles and practice in reporting structural equation analyses.
Empowering undergraduate students to take action
Untangling Trustworthiness and Uncertainty in Science
Socioscientific Issues Thinking and Action in the Midst of Science-in-the-Making
Connecting Design and Experience
Response strategies for coping with the cognitive demands of attitude measures in surveys
American Risk Perceptions
The Future is Now
Living in Denial
The feeling of uncertainty intensifies affective reactions
What shapes perceptions of climate change? New research since 2010
Scepticism and uncertainty about climate change
Cool dudes
Ecological Worldview as the Central Component of Environmental Concern
Desirable uncertainty in science teaching
The effects of gender on climate change knowledge and concern in the American public
Assessing Reliability and Stability in Panel Models
Public understanding of climate change in the United States
Climate‐Science Communication and the Measurement Problem
The Pleasures of Uncertainty
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |