Intro – 10 min
Calming down participants: assuring safe and relaxed atmosphere (anonymity, reasons for taping and observing, no right and wrong answers, everyone has its own opinion, critic is welcomed)
Introduction of moderator, reason for focus groups
Short presentation of participant: age, education, occupation, hobbies, family…
Associations on climate change: please write your associations with climate change Values – 10 min
Statement: We all know the values that we are supposed to know, but life teaches us that we live more successfully among people with a different set of values.
How much can you agree with this statement?
If yes: Why is there a difference in values that we believe in and values that we live by? Why don’t you adjust your life to your values or the opposite?
If no, move on to the next question Effects on you and other – 20 min
Do you ever feel that your actions have effects on other people? Which actions and how?
Is there any example when someone else’s behaviour inspired you to change yours?
What, why?
Do you feel that you affect only people close to you or also the ones that live in other parts of the world? In what way?
Do you ever feel that your actions have effects on environment? Which action and who?
Do you feel in any way that your personal life is influenced by climate change consequences?
Do you think there is any connection between your personal actions and climate change?
If you knew that the ball you are buying was manufactured by a child in Asia, would you still buy it?
If you consider your personal habits and lifestyle and those of the people close to you – family, friends, acquaintances, how big a problem do you think climate change is? Select differently sized balloons
Motivations to change habits – 25 min
Would you say that you are satisfied with your current level of comfort in your personal life? Could you live with less comfort in your life? Give me an example.
Relate to the following three examples.
What would be your motivations for
o using bike or public transport instead of your car?
o installing photovoltaic panels? (subsidy?) o buy same sized appliances? (tax deduction?)
Take out 5 motives that would most motivate you
How could changing a habit related to climate change make you personally feel better? How could it represent a positive experience for you?
If you knew that buying bigger appliance leads to Maldives disappearing under the sea, would you still buy and use it? Relate to the answer on the question with ball:
ball you would not buy, but appliance yes. How so? Why do you believe the child is manufacturing the ball? Why don’t you believe there is no proof for the other?
Climate information – 10 min
Where do you notice information about climate change?
Think about this information. Do you believe this information?
Think about the information that you do believe. What is it that makes you believe it? (Probes: credible people, source, pictures, reports, statistics, because you have personal experience?)
Think about the information that you do not believe. What is it that makes you not believe it?
Communication – 10 min
Do you think that communication about climate change is a right one? Why (not)?
Imagine that you are a reporter. What approach would you use to communicate something about climate change in a way that the other people would believe it?
(Probes: use experts, use visuals, use climate change witnesses, share personal experience…)
If you take only communication of climate change in the media into consideration, how big problem do you think that climate change is? Select differently sized balloons.
Action – 15 min
What do you think of Chinese one child policy? Is it necessary in other places?
What about here? Why (not)?
Do you think that people fly too much – business or holidays? Why? Are you willing to give up flying and take other means of public transport? Would you consider travelling less?
What do you think about vegetarians? Have you ever considered giving up meat?
Why (not)?
We were discussing before the use of public transport, also putting off lights, recycling…
If you change such a habit, is that for you an isolated event or a part of a process of changing lifestyle?
For those who have it as a part of process: Does this changing lifestyle conflict with your wished or required consumption level?
To what extent would you be willing to change your lifestyle to taking such actions to prevent further climate change consequences? Show on a scale.
Inaction – 10 min
If you consider only the actions that happen on political level, in Slovenia, Europe and global level, how big do you think that the climate change problem is? Select differently sized balloons.
Do you think that the changes you make personally have an impact on the overall picture? Why (not)?
You know the saying Kamen na kamen, palača, zrno na zrno pogača. So, how would you suggest to overcome the feeling of powerlessness of one individual?
Wrap-up
ANNEX D
Focus groups' participants
Focus group 1 ('rural')
Cipher Age Education Gender 01 25 bachelor deg. female
02 32 bachelor deg. male
03 24 bachelor deg. female 04 37 bachelor deg. female
Focus group 2 ('urban')
Cipher Age Education Gender
01 26 high-school male
02 20 high-school. female
03 49 high-school male
04 25 high-school male
05 20 high-school female
06 48 bachelor deg. female
ANNEX E
Audio files of the in-depth interviews and focus groups, minutes from the interviews and focus groups, and table with analysis of the in-depth interviews