Actively distancing from climate radicals improves public support for moderate climate activists

Climate activists’ tactics range from relatively moderate (e.g., authorised marches) to more radical (e.g., vandalism), but the presence of a ‘radical flank’ on wider public support for moderate ‘centre’ groups is poorly understood. In a pre-registered experiment, a sample of non-activist Austrian adults, representative on age, gender, and region (N = 1407), responded to two hypothetical climate protest scenarios. We found that: a) the presence of a radical flank resulted in greater support for a centre activist group; but b) only when the centre group actively distanced themselves from (vs. endorsed) the radicals’ actions. Pre-registered path analysis supported the plausibility of a proposed moderated serial mediation model, suggesting that centrists who actively distanced from the radicals were potentially more supported, because: a) they were seen as less radical themselves; and b) respondents identified more with them. Results suggest public support for moderate pro-climate actions is enhanced through the presence of a radical flank when moderates distance themselves from the radical flank. Support for moderate climate activists’ benefits from the rise of radicals as moderates are perceived reasonable in comparison — but only when they clearly distance themselves. These ‘radical flank effects’ are attenuated if moderates endorse radicals.