Abstract:

Understanding the influence of news media has been a topic of discussion since the dawn of the digital age. This study keyed in on how news media about climate change and other climate related events influences high school students. A survey with 114 total respondents was conducted in order to determine the media's influence on students' beliefs and motivations in relation to their personal impact on the environment. Results revealed that students’ perceived risk of climate change as well as their motivation to incorporate methods to reduce their negative impact experienced a significant increase as students viewed climate related media more often and for greater periods of time. By deepening the understanding of the media’s influence on students’ view of climate change, environmental and media organizations can better tailor their approach to informing younger generations of the future dangers of climate change.