Climate Change Skepticism Questionnaire (CCS-Q)

Abstract

The Climate Change Skepticism Questionnaire (CCS-Q), developed by de Graaf et al. (2023), is a concise 12-item psychological instrument designed to quantify beliefs that deviate from the established scientific consensus regarding climate change. This measure was specifically created to overcome limitations identified in previous assessments of climate change skepticism (CCS).

The development process rigorously followed the three-step construct validation methodology proposed by Flake et al. (2017). An initial pool of 16 items was generated based on existing CCS theories, which categorize skepticism into four core dimensions: trend skepticism, attribution skepticism, impact skepticism, and response skepticism. After item refinement and consolidation, a final 12-item measure was translated into Dutch and simplified for an intermediate language proficiency level. Subsequent administration to Dutch adults and analysis via Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) successfully supported the hypothesized four-factor structure, affirming the measure’s reliability and validity.

Keywords

Attribution Skepticism, Climate Change Beliefs, Climate Change Skepticism, Impact Skepticism, Response Skepticism, Environmental Measures, Climate Change Attitudes, Trend Skepticism.

Authors

de Graaf, Janna A., Stok, F. Marijn, de Wit, John B. F., Bal, Michèlle

Purpose

The primary objective of the CCS-Q is to provide a reliable and valid assessment of the multifaceted nature of climate change skepticism. It moves beyond simple binary measures of belief by specifically evaluating four distinct, theoretically grounded dimensions of doubt concerning the climate crisis.

By isolating these four dimensions—response skepticism, trend skepticism, attribution skepticism, and impact skepticism—researchers can gain a more nuanced understanding of where public resistance to climate action originates, allowing for targeted communication and policy strategies.

Construct

The CCS-Q measures Climate Change Skepticism (CCS) as a multidimensional construct comprising four distinct yet correlated facets, based on established theories (Ding et al., 2011; Poortinga et al., 2011). These facets represent different areas of doubt regarding the scientific consensus and the necessity of action.

The four dimensions assessed by the instrument are:

• Trend Skepticism: Doubt regarding whether climate change is actually occurring or if the observed changes are significant.
• Attribution Skepticism: Doubt regarding whether human activity is the primary cause of global warming (i.e., believing it is a natural process).
• Impact Skepticism: Doubt regarding the severity or negative consequences of climate change.
• Response Skepticism: Doubt regarding the efficacy or feasibility of proposed solutions and policies aimed at mitigating climate change.

Validity

The validation study provided strong evidence for both convergent and predictive validity for the CCS-Q composite score and its four subscales.

Convergent Validity: All four dimensions of the CCS-Q demonstrated significant negative correlations with pro-environmental variables, including motivation toward environmental issues, intentions for sustainable behavior, acceptance of sustainable policies, and trust in institutions. Conversely, the CCS dimensions exhibited significant positive correlations with related constructs such as broader climate science skepticism and dispositional reactance, confirming that the measure aligns theoretically with related constructs and diverges from unrelated ones.

Predictive Validity: Simple linear regression analyses demonstrated the measure’s ability to predict relevant behavioral intentions and policy acceptance. The Composite CCS score negatively predicted key outcomes, even after accounting for covariates, showing strong predictive power for: sustainable intentions (F(5, 526) = 37.00, R2 = 0.26, p < .001), acceptance of increased taxes on fossil fuels (F(5, 505) = 39.48, R2 = 0.28, p < .001), acceptance of tax utilization for wind and solar power generation (F(5, 506) = 36.04, R2 = 0.26, p < .001), and acceptance of prohibiting energy-inefficient appliances (F(5, 507) = 17.41, R2 = 0.15, p < .001).

Reliability

The CCS-Q demonstrated robust reliability across both internal consistency and temporal stability measures.

Internal Consistency: The internal consistency for the overall composite scale and all four individual subscales was evaluated as good. All calculated Cronbach’s alpha values were equal to or greater than .70, indicating high homogeneity among the items within each scale.

Test-Retest Reliability: Temporal stability was assessed using a one-week test-retest interval. The test-retest reliabilities for the composite scale and all four CCS dimensions were found to be good, with correlation coefficients (r) consistently exceeding 0.78.

Factor Analysis

The structural validity of the CCS-Q was confirmed through a two-stage Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) process, supporting the hypothesized four-factor structure derived from existing theoretical frameworks.

The initial CFA confirmed the 4-factor model with satisfactory fit indices (Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = 0.94, Non-Normed Fit Index [NFI] = 0.93, Standardized Root Mean Square Residual [SRMR] = 0.04). Furthermore, all subscales were found to be significantly positively correlated, suggesting that while the dimensions are distinct, they contribute to a single higher-order construct of overall climate change skepticism. A crucial replication CFA conducted using a separate sample of Dutch adults corroborated these findings, also yielding satisfactory model fit (CFI = 0.92, NFI = 0.90, SRMR = 0.05).

Instrument

Test Type: Original Inventory/Questionnaire

Format: Items are rated on 7-point Likert scales, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). A higher score on any item or scale component signifies a greater degree of climate change skepticism. The standard administration method is electronic.

Language Available: Dutch and English.

Population Group: Designed for human participants, inclusive of males, females, and individuals identifying as “Other than Man Or Woman.”

Age Group: Applicable to adulthood (18 years and older), including young adulthood (18-29 years), thirties (30-39 years), middle age (40-64 years), and aged (65 years and older).

Population Details: The validation study utilized Dutch adults recruited through online platforms, specifically located in the Netherlands.

Test Methodology: The comprehensive methodology included Test Validity, Convergent Validity, Predictive Validity, Test Reliability, Internal Consistency, Test-Retest Reliability, Factor Analysis, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

Keywords

Attribution Skepticism, Climate Change Beliefs, Climate Change Skepticism, Impact Skepticism, Response Skepticism, Trend Skepticism.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier:

de Graaf, Janna A.: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6690-9482

Stok, F. Marijn: No data is Available

de Wit, John B. F.: No data is Available

Bal, Michèlle: No data is Available

Affiliation Email addresses:

de Graaf, Janna A.: [email protected]

Stok, F. Marijn: No data is Available

de Wit, John B. F.: No data is Available

Bal, Michèlle: No data is Available

Correspondence Address:

de Graaf, Janna A.: Heidelberglaan 1, Utrecht, Netherlands, 3584 CS, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: The CCS-Q may be used freely for research and teaching purposes. The license type is Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

Commercial Use: No

Fee: No

Test Year: 2023

Web Site: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

References

de Graaf, J. A., Stok, F. M., de Wit, J. B. F., & Bal, M. (2023). The climate change skepticism questionnaire: Validation of a measure to assess doubts regarding climate change. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 89, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102068

Items of the Climate Change Skepticism Questionnaire (CCS-Q)

The CCS-Q consists of 12 items, which are divided into four subscales:

• Trend Skepticism

• Attribution Skepticism

• Impact Skepticism

• Response Skepticism

The specific items are available in Appendix A, Page 10 of the source reference (de Graaf et al., 2023).

Climate Change Skepticism Questionnaire (CCS-Q) Items

Answers are given on a 7-point Likert-type scale (1 = totally disagree, 7 = totally agree). Please indicate to what extent you agree with the following statements:

1. I am hesitant to believe climate change scientists tell the whole story.

2. The climate change we are observing is just a natural process.

3. I think climate change is a serious problem. (reverse scored)

4. There is not much we can do that will help solve environmental problems.

5. I believe that most of the concerns about environmental problems have been exaggerated.

6. Mankind is largely responsible for global warming. (reverse scored)

7. I believe that most claims about climate change are true. (reverse scored)

8. It is a waste of work to solve environmental problems.

9. I am uncertain that human activities cause global warming.

10. Human behavior has little effect on stopping global warming.

11. I am uncertain that global warming is actually occurring.

12. I am concerned about the consequences of climate change. (reverse scored)