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<p>Climate activists’ tactics range from relatively moderate (e.g., authorised marches) to more radical (e.g., vandalism), but the presence of a ‘radical flank’ on wider public support for moderate ‘centre’ groups is poorly understood. In a pre-registered experiment, a sample of non-activist Austrian adults, representative on age, gender, and region (<i>N</i> = 1407), responded to two hypothetical climate protest scenarios. We found that: a) the presence of a radical flank resulted in greater support for a centre activist group; but b) only when the centre group actively distanced themselves from (vs. endorsed) the radicals’ actions. Pre-registered path analysis supported the plausibility of a proposed moderated serial mediation model, suggesting that centrists who actively distanced from the radicals were potentially more supported, because: a) they were seen as less radical themselves; and b) respondents identified more with them. Results suggest public support for moderate pro-climate actions is enhanced through the presence of a radical flank when moderates distance themselves from the radical flank.</p>

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Actively distancing from climate radicals improves public support for moderate climate activists

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月17日

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  • Jana K. Köhler,
  • Leonie Fian,
  • Mathew P. White,
  • Sari R. R. Nijssen,
  • Sabine Pahl

摘要

Climate activists’ tactics range from relatively moderate (e.g., authorised marches) to more radical (e.g., vandalism), but the presence of a ‘radical flank’ on wider public support for moderate ‘centre’ groups is poorly understood. In a pre-registered experiment, a sample of non-activist Austrian adults, representative on age, gender, and region (N = 1407), responded to two hypothetical climate protest scenarios. We found that: a) the presence of a radical flank resulted in greater support for a centre activist group; but b) only when the centre group actively distanced themselves from (vs. endorsed) the radicals’ actions. Pre-registered path analysis supported the plausibility of a proposed moderated serial mediation model, suggesting that centrists who actively distanced from the radicals were potentially more supported, because: a) they were seen as less radical themselves; and b) respondents identified more with them. Results suggest public support for moderate pro-climate actions is enhanced through the presence of a radical flank when moderates distance themselves from the radical flank.