Apocalypse now? | School of Social Ecology

A new study of 1,409 religiously diverse Americans found about one-third believe the world will end within their lifetime. Researchers operationalized apocalyptic belief as a multidimensional framework that shapes public support for policy action or inaction across major existential risks. The result is a measurable pathway by which cultural narratives can weaken consensus and coordination on climate, pandemics, geopolitical conflict, and emerging technologies.

<p>Research published in the <strong>Journal of Personality and Social Psychology</strong> surveyed 1,409 Americans across religious backgrounds and found that about one-third agreed the world would end within their lifetime. Led by UC Irvine postdoctoral scholar Matthew I. Billet and developed with colleagues at the University of British Columbia, the work introduced a psychological measure of end-of-world beliefs with five dimensions, examining not just whether respondents expect an apocalypse but how they interpret its timing, agency, control, and aftermath.</p><p>Participants were also asked about five categories of global existential risks identified by the World Economic Forum: economic, environmental, geopolitical, societal, and technological. Respondents who believed the end is near and human-caused reported higher perceived risk and greater support for extreme action. Respondents who believed divine forces control the apocalypse were less likely to support preventive measures. The study reported differences across religious denominations and noted that end-of-world beliefs generally declined with age, except among evangelical Protestants and Muslims, where they remained stable or increased.</p>