![Katharine Steentjes](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/3061?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Katharine Steentjes
Research Associate
- SteentjesK@cardiff.ac.uk
- +44 29208 76520
- Tower Building, 70 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT
Overview
Research summary
My general research interest concerns the understanding of moral and normative associations with environmental issues such as climate change. More precisely, my PhD research examined how people negotiate and maintain social norms through interpersonal interactions (e.g. confrontation). Leading on from this, I am interested in how social norms and moral associations affect perceptions of climate change and support for related policies on a national level
Teaching summary
I am currently not involved with teaching but at I have previously taught students during Social/Environmental Practicals, Statistic courses, various Psychology undergraduate tutorials and a summer programme (Grand Challenges) at the University of Exeter.
Publication
2022
- O'Neill, S. et al. 2022. Visual portrayals of fun in the sun in European news outlets misrepresent heatwave risks. The Geographical Journal (10.1111/geoj.12487)
- Steentjes, K., McCamley, M., Berman, J. and Pidgeon, N. 2022. RESIL RISK Northern Ireland: public perceptions of climate risks and adaptation in Northern Ireland. Cardiff University.
2020
- Brügger, A., Gubler, M., Steentjes, K. and Capstick, S. B. 2020. Social identity and risk perception explain participation in the Swiss youth climate strikes. Sustainability 12(24), article number: 10605. (10.3390/su122410605)
- Steentjes, K., Demski, C., Seabrook, A., Corner, A. and Pidgeon, N. 2020. British public perceptions of climate risk, adaptation options and resilience (RESiL RISK): Topline findings of a GB survey conducted in October 2019. Project Report. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- Capstick, S., Demski, C., Cherry, C., Verfuerth, C. and Steentjes, K. 2020. Climate change citizens' assemblies: CAST briefing paper 03. CAST Briefing Paper.
2019
- Bertoldo, R. et al. 2019. Scientific truth or debate: On the link between perceived scientific consensus and belief in anthropogenic climate change. Public Understanding of Science 28(7), pp. 778-796. (10.1177/0963662519865448)
- Doran, R., Böhm, G., Pfister, H., Steentjes, K. and Pidgeon, N. 2019. Consequence evaluations and moral concerns about climate change: insights from nationally representative surveys across four European countries. Journal of Risk Research 22(5), pp. 610-626. (10.1080/13669877.2018.1473468)
- Capstick, S., Demski, C., Poortinga, W., Whitmarsh, L., Steentjes, K., Corner, A. and Graham, H. 2019. CAST Briefing Paper 02: Public opinion in a time of climate emergency. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University. Available at: https://cast.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/CAST-Briefing-02-Public-opinion-in-a-time-of-climate-emergency-1.pdf
2018
- Peake, L., Cherry, C., Steentjes, K., Scott, K. and Pidgeon, N. 2018. By popular demand: what people want from a resource efficient economy. London: Green Alliance. Available at: https://www.green-alliance.org.uk/by_popular_demand.php
2017
- Steentjes, K., Kurz, T., Barreto, M. and Morton, T. 2017. The norms associated with climate change: understanding social norms through acts of interpersonal activism. Global Environmental Change 43, pp. 116-125. (10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2017.01.008)
- Arnold, A. and Steentjes, K. 2017. Perception of climate change and the energy transition: results from a European survey. GAIA-Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society 26(3), pp. 280-281. (10.14512/gaia.26.3.13)
- Steentjes, K. et al. 2017. European Perceptions of Climate Change (EPCC): Topline findings of a survey conducted in four European countries in 2016. Project Report. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- Corner, A. J. et al. 2017. European Perceptions of Climate Change (EPCC): six recommendations for public engagement. Project Report. Oxford: Climate Outreach.
2016
- Arnold, A. et al. 2016. Socio-political profiles to inform a cross-national survey in France, Germany, Norway and the UK.. Project Report. [Online]. Oxford: Climate Outreach. Available at: http://climateoutreach.org/resources/european-perceptions
Articles
- O'Neill, S. et al. 2022. Visual portrayals of fun in the sun in European news outlets misrepresent heatwave risks. The Geographical Journal (10.1111/geoj.12487)
- Brügger, A., Gubler, M., Steentjes, K. and Capstick, S. B. 2020. Social identity and risk perception explain participation in the Swiss youth climate strikes. Sustainability 12(24), article number: 10605. (10.3390/su122410605)
- Bertoldo, R. et al. 2019. Scientific truth or debate: On the link between perceived scientific consensus and belief in anthropogenic climate change. Public Understanding of Science 28(7), pp. 778-796. (10.1177/0963662519865448)
- Doran, R., Böhm, G., Pfister, H., Steentjes, K. and Pidgeon, N. 2019. Consequence evaluations and moral concerns about climate change: insights from nationally representative surveys across four European countries. Journal of Risk Research 22(5), pp. 610-626. (10.1080/13669877.2018.1473468)
- Steentjes, K., Kurz, T., Barreto, M. and Morton, T. 2017. The norms associated with climate change: understanding social norms through acts of interpersonal activism. Global Environmental Change 43, pp. 116-125. (10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2017.01.008)
- Arnold, A. and Steentjes, K. 2017. Perception of climate change and the energy transition: results from a European survey. GAIA-Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society 26(3), pp. 280-281. (10.14512/gaia.26.3.13)
Monographs
- Steentjes, K., McCamley, M., Berman, J. and Pidgeon, N. 2022. RESIL RISK Northern Ireland: public perceptions of climate risks and adaptation in Northern Ireland. Cardiff University.
- Steentjes, K., Demski, C., Seabrook, A., Corner, A. and Pidgeon, N. 2020. British public perceptions of climate risk, adaptation options and resilience (RESiL RISK): Topline findings of a GB survey conducted in October 2019. Project Report. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- Capstick, S., Demski, C., Cherry, C., Verfuerth, C. and Steentjes, K. 2020. Climate change citizens' assemblies: CAST briefing paper 03. CAST Briefing Paper.
- Capstick, S., Demski, C., Poortinga, W., Whitmarsh, L., Steentjes, K., Corner, A. and Graham, H. 2019. CAST Briefing Paper 02: Public opinion in a time of climate emergency. Working paper. Cardiff: Cardiff University. Available at: https://cast.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/CAST-Briefing-02-Public-opinion-in-a-time-of-climate-emergency-1.pdf
- Peake, L., Cherry, C., Steentjes, K., Scott, K. and Pidgeon, N. 2018. By popular demand: what people want from a resource efficient economy. London: Green Alliance. Available at: https://www.green-alliance.org.uk/by_popular_demand.php
- Steentjes, K. et al. 2017. European Perceptions of Climate Change (EPCC): Topline findings of a survey conducted in four European countries in 2016. Project Report. Cardiff: Cardiff University.
- Corner, A. J. et al. 2017. European Perceptions of Climate Change (EPCC): six recommendations for public engagement. Project Report. Oxford: Climate Outreach.
- Arnold, A. et al. 2016. Socio-political profiles to inform a cross-national survey in France, Germany, Norway and the UK.. Project Report. [Online]. Oxford: Climate Outreach. Available at: http://climateoutreach.org/resources/european-perceptions
Research
Research topics and related papers
Public Perceptions of Climate Change
In my current position in the Understanding Risk Group, I am involved with different research projects assessing public perceptions of climate change and public acceptance of a shift towards sustainable material use. My main focus at the moment is a project that will provide a cross national comparison of public perceptions of climate change and related policies across four northern European countries (United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Norway).
Interpersonal Confrontation/ Social Norms
My PhD research examined the social interactional processes involved in maintaining or changing social norms associated with environmental issues such as climate change. In particular, my PhD research has examined the social costs and behavioural consequences of acts of interpersonal confrontation of environmental disregard. My results consistently identified high social costs associated with confronting environmental disregard. However, witnessing such an interaction was found to have the potential to encourage pro-environmental action tendencies if a scientific justification for the confrontation was provided.
Psychological Effects of Climate Change Frames
I am involved in a research project, led by Dr. Tim Kurz and Dr. Saffron O'Neill, examining the psychological consequences of media frames that were used to present the most recently published IPCC reports. This project examines how the different media frames affect people's concern about climate change, trust in relevant authorities and the shareability of the presented information.
Funding
JPI Climate
ESRC Economic and Social Research Council
Research group
Understanding Risk Group
Social & Environmental Psychology
Sustainable Places Research Institute
Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Research collaborators
Prof. Nick Pidgeon and members of the Understanding Risk Group at Cardiff University Dr. Tim Kurz, Social Psychology, University of Exeter
Prof. Manuela Barreto, Social Psychology, University of Exeter
Dr. Thomas Morton Social Psychology, University of Exeter
Dr. Saffron O'Neill, Geography, University of Exeter
Dr. Niklas Steffens, University of Queensland
Biography
Undergraduate education
BA Psychology, University of Twente, NL
Postgraduate education
MSc Social Psychology, Free University of Amsterdam, NL
PhD Psychology, University of Exeter, UK
Employment
March 2015 – present: Research Associate, School of Psychology, Cardiff University.
October 2014 – March 2015: Associate Research Fellow, University of Exeter
October 2014 – March 2015: Graduate Teaching Associate, Psychology, University of Exeter
Honours and awards
Awards/external committees
2010 – 2014 Exeter Graduate Fellowship
2010 William James Scholarship (EU students)
2009 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Fellowship programme
