Climate change research: reflections on methodological challenges

In this chapter, we discuss the methodological challenges of conducting climate change research with the general public. We share our experiences conducting a study about the Australian general public’s climate change views, practices and numeracy capabilities in which we used Facebook for participant recruitment. While recruiting participants, we faced intense trolling and calls to skew our data from climate change deniers. We address the emotional and psychological impacts of such challenges on researchers, the complexities of engaging with contentious issues and the role of social media in participant recruitment. By sharing our experiences, we provide insight and guidance for researchers who investigate contentious issues in an increasingly polarised world, as well as show ways that researchers can survive and thrive while facing research conundrums.