Cognitive Dissonance In The Face Of Climate Change In Beekeepers: A Case Study In Mexico

Climate change in beekeeping is perceived as a relational phenomenon, and it is necessary to adopt adaptation strategies to maintain economic activity. Festinger's theory of Cognitive Dissonance helps understand the constraints to the adoption of climate change adaptation strategies. For this purpose, a survey was applied to explore the relationship between the perception, attitude, and behavior of beekeepers in the face of climate change in Mexican territory. It was noted that: 1) Beekeepers identified climate change as the main problem for beekeeping; 2) They exhibit dissonance between their attitude and their behavior regarding adaptation strategies, and 3) Cognitive dissonance is reduced through justifications for their behavior. Thus, the present state of dissonance is a limitation for adopting climate change adaptation actions, evidencing the need to modify the behavior of beekeepers, through training to inform and explain the nature of climate change and its impacts; to place the beekeepers within this context, where they can contribute technical elements that may allow them to reorient their work, promoting an objective and constructive perception, which will generate a positive attitude in the face of the challenges that climate change represents, so that they may modify their behavior as much as necessary in order to keep the activity profitable in Mexico.