Approaching Climate Change Through Fiction? The Effects of Coping Dispositions on Preferences for Climate Fiction Versus Non-Fiction

Climate change is a psychological threat. This research investigates how coping dispositions (vigilance and cognitive avoidance) affect preferences for fictional versus non-fictional information about climate change. Because fictional stories are usually sought out for entertainment rather than informational utility and allow to experience threatening issues at an aesthetic distance, we propose that fiction might be avoided less than nonfiction by individuals with an avoidant coping style. We investigated our hypotheses in two experiments using samples from a Western, industrialized country (N1 = 157; N2 = 506, Experiment 2 was preregistered; within-subjects factor: fiction vs. nonfiction books). Across both experiments, dispositional avoidance predicted lower interest in climate books. Higher preference for nonfiction over fiction was observed for individuals low in avoidance, whereas highly avoidant individuals showed no preference. This effect was driven by physical threat avoidance, but not ego threat avoidance. Controversial interactions emerged for vigilance: Higher ego threat, but lower physical threat vigilance predicted a stronger preference for nonfiction over fiction.