Researchers from Yale and George Mason universities have explored what "global warming" and "climate change" mean to Americans -- and found they are far from synonymous terms.

The study -- conducted through the Yale Project on Climate Change Communications and George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communications -- determined global warming and climate change, though describing a similar set of physical properties, mean different things to different people and evoke diverse and often contrasting sets of beliefs, feelings and behaviors, as well as different degrees of urgency in responding to the environmental phenomena to which the terms refer.

A review of of Google searches from 2004 to 2014 found Americans have historically used "global warming" as a search term much more frequently than climate change, explained a Yale news release.

A nationally representative survey conducted in January of this year revealed that while Americans are equally familiar with both terms, they are four times more likely to recall hearing the term "global warming" in public discourse, as opposed to "climate change." Likewise, Americans indicated they are two times more likely during conversations to use the term "global warming" instead of "climate change."

The research team said they discovered the term "global warming" is more associated with public understanding, emotional engagement and support for personal and national action than the term "climate change."

The term "global warming," according to the Yale report, is associated with:

  • Greater certainty that the phenomenon is happening, especially among men, Generation X (31-48), and liberals.
  • Greater understanding that human activities are the primary cause among Independents.
  • Greater understanding that there is a scientific consensus about the reality of the phenomenon among Independents and liberals.
  • More intense worry about the issue, especially among men, Generation Y (18-30), Generation X, Democrats, liberals and moderates.
  • A greater sense of personal threat, especially among women, the Greatest Generation (68+), African-Americans, Hispanics, Democrats, Independents, Republicans, liberals and moderates.
  • Higher issue priority ratings for action by the president and Congress, especially among women, Democrats, liberals and moderates.
  • Greater willingness to join a campaign to convince elected officials to take action, especially among men, Generation X, liberals and moderates.