'Do worry, act environmental' : how to stimulate children's pro-environmental behavioural intent through the use of anthropomorphism and goal framing theory

Motivating children at an early age to take action is essential if we want to combat climate change. This study examines how message framing can promote children's environmentally friendly behavioural intentions by using a 2 (anthropomorphism absent vs. present) by 2 (goal framing in terms of losses vs. gains) between subjects design. The results show that a climate message focused on losses combined with a sad anthropomorphized earth generated the highest level of worry and this in turn stimulated children's (self-reported) pro-environmental behaviour intent. However, when a message focused on gains, no effect was found on pride nor on their behavioural intention regardless of combining it with a happy anthropomorphized earth. This study offers valuable insights into the underlying motivations of children to behave in an environmentally friendly way and how to approach them