A Joint Analysis of the Effects of Climate Change Denial and Problem Awareness in Predicting Air Travel Behavioral Intentions

Abstract

Despite scientific evidence demonstrating the impact of climate change on the planet, climate change denial remains prevalent. This study aimed to determine how various forms of climate change denial and level of problem awareness predict intentions to increase or decrease the use of air travel, given its significant climatic impact. Using data collected from 301 air travelers in T & uuml;rkiye, we conducted Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to examine the symmetrical and asymmetrical effects, respectively. The data analysis revealed that denial of guilt negatively affected problem awareness and intention to decrease air travel. Literal denial had a positive effect on intention to increase air travel, while problem awareness had a negative effect. The fsQCA revealed very diverse recipes for each outcome variable, showing high coverage.