Heart rate change and attitudes to global warming: A conceptual replication of the visceral fit mechanism

Visceral fit effects occur when a physical state (e.g., warmth) increases the plausibility of future related states (e.g., global warming). We attempted to conceptually replicate such effects by investigating whether belief in global warming is influenced by a change in heart rate, which is linked to body warmth. In four studies, participants' heart rates were varied via mental manipulation or physical exercise. In three of the studies, increased heart rate was associated with greater self-reported belief that global warming was occurring. Across all studies, the association between heart rate and self-reported belief in global warming was small in statistical effect size and very small in absolute terms. We suggest that the effects of incidental cues are interesting because such factors should not influence global warming beliefs at all, but the small absolute size of the effects means that situational cues are unlikely to alter a person's stance on climate change.