Introduction

This study assesses whether open-ended survey questions can elicit individual climate change policy narratives using the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF). It analyses a convenience sample (n=88) recruited in the US Southeast between November 2020 and February 2021. Respondents were predominantly female (71%), white (90%), educated (64% bachelor’s degree or higher) and liberal (84%). Most (95%) attributed climate change to human activity.

Literature review

The NPF conceptualises individuals as ‘homo narrans’, constructing narratives with characters, plots and policy referents. Prior research has focused on organisational narratives or experimental manipulation of narrative elements. Political ideology is consistently linked to climate beliefs, while demographic effects are generally weaker. Media use interacts with ideology, reinforcing prior attitudes. This study extends prior work by coding individual, open-ended survey responses using a structured NPF codebook.

Data and methods

Seven open-ended questions were used. Four were designed to elicit complete narratives; three targeted specific elements (policy problem, victim, villain). Responses were coded for narrative elements including heroes, villains, victims, policy problems, solutions, time, science, costs and benefits.

Intercoder reliability was high (e.g. Gwet’s AC: heroes 0.976; villains 0.882; victims 0.881; policy problems 0.706). Due to the small, non-representative sample, findings are exploratory and based on bivariate analysis.

Quantitative findings

Question format influenced narrative completeness. Emotion- and future-focused questions generated more complete narratives (50% and 63% of responses, respectively). A place-based question produced only 6.8% complete narratives. Problem-focused questions were more effective than element-specific prompts.

Across responses, victims, villains and policy problems were the most common elements. Climate change was frequently framed as a problem without a clearly articulated solution.

Ideology was negatively correlated with references to victims (r = -0.29, p = 0.020) and policy problems (r = -0.26, p = 0.042). More conservative respondents identified fewer victims and problems.

Demographic effects were selective. Female respondents used more hero characters (p = 0.047), while male respondents referenced more policy surrogates (p = 0.046). Higher education was associated with more villains (mean 2.8 vs 1.6; p = 0.004), policy problems (p = 0.014), solutions (p = 0.013) and surrogates (p = 0.00017). Age correlated positively with solutions (r = 0.29, p = 0.029) and surrogates (r = 0.45, p = 0.00062). No significant race differences were found.

Media use showed expected patterns. Greater Fox News use correlated with fewer policy problems (r = -0.28, p = 0.030). Local newspaper use correlated with fewer villains (r = -0.27, p = 0.039). NPR use correlated positively with policy surrogates (p = 0.030).

Qualitative responses

Four themes emerged: connection to place, emotional responses, solution-oriented approaches and shared responsibility.

Respondents frequently linked climate change to local environments, including mountains and waterways. Emotional reactions included anger and sadness, often identifying corporations or collective inaction as villains and future generations as victims. A minority described climate change as cyclical or natural.

Proposed solutions included carbon taxes, forest restoration, recycling, electric vehicle infrastructure and local policy initiatives. Narratives often combined individual and structural responsibility, referencing social norms and institutional constraints.

Discussion

Methodologically, problem-centred and structurally framed questions are more effective in eliciting complete narratives. Substantively, narrative elements varied systematically with ideology, education and media use, supporting the ‘homo narrans’ assumption. The authors recommend replication using larger and more representative samples and across other policy domains.

Conclusion

Open-ended surveys can generate structured policy narratives shaped by political beliefs, education and media exposure. Question design materially affects narrative completeness, with problem-focused prompts producing more comprehensive responses.