Köhler, J. K. et al. (2025)Reasonable or radical? First-order, second-order, and meta-stereotypes of different climate activists among the German public and climate activists

The study investigated how climate activists are perceived in Germany - both by the general public and by the activists themselves.

Central findings of the study are:

• Unconventional activists were viewed more negatively than conventional ones
• The public overestimates (underestimates) minority (majority) activist stereotypes
• Negative (positive) stereotypes are associated with less (more) activist support
• Conventional activists overestimate how negatively they are viewed by the public
• Unconventional activists underestimate how negatively they are viewed by the public

ConPolicy project manager Marlene Münsch is an author of the paper.

Link to the publication