ABSTRACT
The role of emotions alongside cognitive perceptions in shaping how audiences view and respond to environmental messages is particularly important because of their ability to uniquely influence thoughts and actions. In addition, emotions and culture go hand-in-hand, and scholars would be wise to consider cultural differences whenever examining the role of emotions in environmental communication. Communication about the environment can arouse a number of different emotions, sometimes with multiple emotions occurring simultaneously or with audiences experiencing fast shifts from one emotional state to another. It is important to note that emotional responses to environmental communication can vary across contexts. A variety of theoretical perspectives and a growing body of empirical evidence can guide research on their interplay, with many avenues for future investigation available to those interested in exploring this rich area of the environmental communication literature.
