The relation of climate change denial with benevolent and hostile sexism

Ecofeminism purports that sexist ideology and climate change denial are related, as prejudice, and its desire for power and nonuniversalism, create a disregard for both. In three studies we examined the associations between hostile and benevolent sexism with climate change denial. The first study (n = 270) demonstrated that hostile sexism explained unique variance in climate change denial over and above two strong predictors of prejudice and climate change denial, social dominance orientation and right-wing authoritarianism. The second study (n = 294) reports on the significant indirect effects of willingness to make sacrifices for the environment on the relation between hostile/benevolent sexism and climate change denial. The third and final study (n = 514) found significant indirect effects of hostile and benevolent sexism, as well as willingness to make sacrifices for the environment, on the relation between power and climate change denial. Universalism demonstrated direct effects with climate change denial when benevolent sexism and willingness to make sacrifices for the environment were taken into account; direct and indirect effects were found when hostile sexism and willingness to make sacrifices for the environment were considered. Our findings provide support for a strong relation between hostile sexism and climate change denial and suggest underlying psychological processes that may represent paths through which climate change attitudes could be indirectly modified.