Pre-registered replication of the gateway belief model – Results from a representative German sample

Consensus messaging aims to increase climate change awareness by communicating the scientific consensus on anthropogenic change. According gateway belief model, messages improve estimation of consensus, which then causes subsequent changes in personal attitudes about Most studies investigating this communication strategy refer US-American samples. Therefore, present study replicated existing research using a national representative German sample (N = 1110), represents high-consensus context. We further tested confidence perceived as moderator variable model. The message improved participants’ estimates but had no statistically significant effect (belief change, human causation worry support for action change). Regarding moderation analysis, did not moderate process. However, we found main This finding adds literature arguing that metacognition might influence political and societal beliefs.