Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Capezzone, Tommaso Author-Email: tommaso.capezzone@carloalberto.org Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics and Statistics “Cognetti de Martiis”, University of Turin; Collegio Carlo Alberto Author-Workplace-Homepage: https://www.phdpareto.carloalberto.org/tommaso-capezzone/ Author-Name: Conzo, Pierluigi Author-Email: pierluigi.conzo@unito.it Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics and Statistics “Cognetti de Martiis”, University of Turin; Collegio Carlo Alberto Author-Workplace-Homepage: https://www.pieroconzo.altervista.org/wordpress/ Author-Name: Fuochi, Giulia Author-Email: giulia.fuochi@unipd.it Author-Workplace-Name: FISPPA - Applied Psychology Dept., University of Padua, Padua (IT) Author-Workplace-Homepage: https://www.unipd.it/en/contatti/rubrica/?detail=Y&ruolo=1&checkout=cerca&persona=FUOCHI&key=32E29E5AF14FA9356C07F36E5CB0FC51 Author-Name: Zotti, Roberto Author-Email: roberto.zotti@unito.it Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics and Statistics “Cognetti de Martiis”, University of Turin Author-Workplace-Homepage: https://sites.google.com/view/roberto-zotti Author-Name: Anfossi, Laura Author-Email: laura.anfossi@unito.it Author-Workplace-Name: Chemistry Dept., University of University of Turin, Turin (IT) Author-Workplace-Homepage: https://www.chimica.unito.it/do/docenti.pl/Alias?laura.anfossi Author-Name: Mosso, Cristina Onesta Author-Email: cristina.mosso@unito.it Author-Workplace-Name: Psychology Dept., University of Turin, Turin (IT) Author-Workplace-Homepage: https://www.dippsicologia.unito.it/do/docenti.pl/Alias?cristina.mosso#tab-profilo Title: We care, but delegate: Climate disasters and climate migration trigger concern, normative beliefs, and altruism – but not cooperation Abstract: Despite growing awareness of climate change, individual action remains limited. We conducted two pre-registered experiments (one online with a representative sample, one in the laboratory with incentivized tasks) to examine whether framing climate risks as natural disasters – i.e., an immediate, unpredictable threat – or climate migration – i.e., a distant, gradual threat – in one’s own country fosters pro-environmental behavior, also identifying mechanisms behind the persistent intention–action gap. Exposure to nature risks increased personal normative beliefs, concern, and donations to environmental causes, but did not promote cooperation in settings prone to free-riding. Hormonal data revealed a defensive ‘flight’ response, suggesting risk avoidance in strategic contexts. Altruism emerged in non-competitive settings, but collective action remained limited by fear that others would not cooperate, prompting individuals to delegate responsibility to institutions. This tendency was especially pronounced among participants with high institutional trust, who, after exposure to climate risks, lowered their contributions and expectations in strategic settings, while increasing donations in non-strategic contexts. Length: 27 Creation-Date: 2025-07 File-URL: https://www.est.unito.it/do/home.pl/Download?doc=/allegati/wp2025dip/wp_11_2025.pdf File-Format: Application/PDF Handle: RePEc:uto:dipeco:202511