This study uses experimental research design (2 physical distances: close vs. far x 2 temporal distances: present vs. future) and eye-tracking technique to examine the impacts of visual climate change communication on individuals’ attention and their perceptions, attitudes and pro-environmental behaviors. Theory of visual attention and construal level theory serve as the theoretical framework. Eye-tracking techniques enable researchers to monitor movement of participants' eyes and fixation metrics such as time to first fixation, fixation duration. Previous research on climate change communication employed eye-tracking techniques to analyze audience attention to both textual and visual elements of communication messages (e.g., Courtney & McNeal, 2023; Sutton & Fischer, 2021). This study collected data in a biometric laboratory at a public university involving 120 undergraduate student participants in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. While wearing eye-tracking glasses, each study participant is randomly assigned to one of four groups to view nine climate change images depicting the impacts of three types of natural disasters with image captions linking the disasters with climate change impacts. Findings reveal visual elements and climate change messages influencing individual’s attention as well as the relationship between eye-tracking metrics and other aspects of communication effectiveness, including risk perceptions, emotions, environmental attitudes and pro-environmental behaviors. The study seeks to enhance our understanding of how individuals attend to different visual elements and extends research of construal level theory in visual climate change communication. Practical implications aim to inform communicators visual elements and messages that can capture individuals’ attention to trigger desired changes.

Authors:
Tham Nguyen, RMIT Vietnam, Vietnam
Le Trieu, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam
Hong Vu, University of Colorado Boulder, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Tham Nguyen is a lecturer in Public Relations/Professional Communication at the School of Communication and Design, RMIT University (Vietnam campus).

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