Social influence shapes climate attitudes and action

Abstract

Social influence, which refers to how individuals and groups shape others’ attitudes and actions, plays a central role in encouraging climate-related behaviours. Here we synthesize insights from climate communication, social psychology and behavioural science to organize current evidence on how influence operates in the context of climate action. We structure this synthesis around four interacting dimensions: who is influencing, where influence is directed, how it occurs and which behaviours are targeted. Across these dimensions, we highlight strengths and gaps in the evidence, including the roles of different actors, modes of influence, and audience characteristics. We identify key priorities for future research, particularly the need to better understand how these elements interact in real-world contexts to support sustained climate action.