scholarly journals Does nuclear energy produce neodymium? Negative perception of nuclear energy drives the assumption that it is polluting

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia Herrera Masurel ◽  
Sacha Altay ◽  
Hugo Mercier
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Ozone Depletion ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Hazardous Substances ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
The Public ◽  
Low Co2 ◽  
The Media

The public tends to exaggerate the dangers of nuclear energy, mistakenly associating it with various environmental problems such as ozone depletion and the production of CO2. First, we ask whether such specific misconceptions, potentially acquired through the media, cause negative attitudes towards nuclear energy, or if holding negative attitudes towards nuclear energy prompts people to develop specific misconceptions. In Experiments 1 and 2 (UK and France, N = 402) participants were more likely to attribute to nuclear energy the production of hazardous substances produced by renewable energy and made-up hazardous substances. This suggests that specific misconceptions about nuclear energy can stem from pre-existing negative attitudes. Second, we ask whether correcting specific misconceptions leads to less negative attitudes about nuclear energy. In Experiments 3 and 4 (UK and France, N = 601), participants were exposed to pro-nuclear energy arguments, one of which informed them of its low CO2 emissions. This argument led to a decrease in the perception that nuclear energy contributes to climate change. Thus, even if specific misconceptions about nuclear energy derive from broadly negative attitudes, addressing these misconceptions can still help align public opinion with expert opinion.

scholarly journals Public opinion on the settlements’ environment and the use of renewable energy sources in the Micro-region of Gyöngyös

2010 ◽  
pp. 267-272
Author(s):  
Hajnalka Szabóné Pap ◽  
Zoltán Baros
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
The Public ◽  
Human Perceptions ◽  
The Media

This paper intends to give an overview on some results of our studies carried out on the public opinion of the above aspects (settlements’comfort level and the use of renewable energy sources) directly or indirectly linked to the topic of climate change and possible adaptations.These studies were carried out by applying questionnaire survey in the (altogether 25) settlements of the Gyöngyös Micro-region.Knowledge on general human perceptions related to climate change and its impacts is considered to be important as it should advance theelaboration of adaptation and applied scientific works. They are highly required as rural areas, due to their closer relationship (dependence)to the physical environment, are more susceptible to changes resultant from the climate change with their possibilities to adaptation alsobeing impeded.The beauty of environment plays an important role in the settlements studied within the micro-region with more than two third of polleesopting the environment as a factor they most proud of, especially among those residing in the villages for more than 10 years. It can bepresumed that any change in this environment would greatly impact their everyday life and emotional relationship to their home villages. Theoverall picture after analysing the public opinion on the use of renewable energy source (as possible way of adaptation to the impacts ofclimate change) is rather controversial. Even basic knowledge and information are limited regarding the relevant technologies callingattention to the importance of raising environmental awareness and providing full information seems to be essential and should beimplemented, through the media and education.

Mental Illness and the Media: Part II. Content Analysis of Press Coverage of Mental Health Topics

1986 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 431-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Matas ◽  
N. El-Guebaly ◽  
D. Harper ◽  
M. Green ◽  
A. Peterkin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Public Image ◽  
Press Coverage ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
The Public ◽  
Accuracy Check ◽  
The Media ◽  
Selection Of

The public image of psychiatry has been tarnished in recent years. In order to determine the extent to which press coverage has contributed to negative attitudes towards psychiatry, we conducted a content analysis of a random selection of newspaper articles which appeared over a twenty-year period in two different newspapers. We found that although there had been some minor, cosmetic changes over the years, such as more appropriate headlines and more direct quotes from psychiatric experts, on the whole, content and attitudes had changed very little. An accuracy check of media reporting of forensic cases over a 20-year period revealed that when reporters have access to written material, the accuracy levels are greatly improved.

10. The role of media and public opinion

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piers Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Policy Process ◽  
War On Terror ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Persuasive Communication ◽  
The Public ◽  
Critical Approaches ◽  
The Media

This chapter examines the relevance of media and public opinion to our understanding of foreign policy and international politics. It first considers whether public opinion influences foreign policy formulation, as argued by the pluralist model, or whether the public are politically impotent, as argued by the elite model. It then explores whether the media can influence foreign policy formulation, as argued by the pluralist model, or whether the media are fundamentally subservient to the foreign policy process, as argued by the elite model. It also integrates these competing arguments with theoretical frames used in the study of international relations: namely, realism, liberalism, and critical approaches (including constructivism and post-structuralism). The chapter concludes by discussing contemporary debates concerning organized persuasive communication and the ‘war on terror’.

Public Opinion and Foreign Policy

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas Foyle
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
New Media ◽  
Information Acquisition ◽  
Opinion Dynamics ◽  
Domestic Policy ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Media ◽  
New Research ◽  
Traditional Approaches

Dramatic changes in the way the public acquires information and formulates its attitudes have potentially altered the opinion and foreign policy relationship. While traditional approaches have treated public opinion on domestic and foreign matters as largely distinct, the culmination of a series of changes may eliminate the effective distinction between foreign and domestic policy, at least in terms of how the American political system operates. All the factors central to the opinion and foreign policy process, such as information acquisition, attitude formation, media effects, the effect of opinion on policy, and presidential leadership now appear to mirror the processes observed at the domestic level. This analysis reviews historical trends in the literature on public opinion and foreign policy that has focused on the rationality of the public’s opinions, the structure of its attitudes, and its influence on foreign policymaking. The traditional Almond-Lippmann consensus portrayed an emotional public with unstructured attitudes and little influence on foreign policy; however, revisionist views have described a reasonable public with largely structured views on foreign policy that can, at times, constrain and even drive those policies. More recently, the rise of “intermestic” issues, contain both domestic and international elements, such as globalization, inequality, terrorism, immigration, and climate change, have interacted to transform the domestic and international context. The bulk of this analysis highlights emerging new research directions that should be pursued in light of the changes. First, scholars should continue to evaluate the “who thinks what and why” questions with particular attention to differences between high- and low-information individuals, the effect of misinformation, and information sources. In doing so, research should build on research from non-American contexts that points to the important influences of societal and institutional factors. In addition to continued examination of traditional demographic factors such as partisanship and ideology, additional attention should turn to consider potential genetic and biological foundations of attitudes. Finally, researchers should continue to evaluate how the new media environment, including social media, affects how the public accesses information, how the media provides information, and how political elites attempt to shape both. Given these changes, scholars should consider whether it continues to make sense to treat public opinion dynamics regarding foreign policy as distinct from domestic policy and its implications.

scholarly journals Comparing Climate Change Coverage in Canadian English and French-Language Print Media: Environmental Values, Media Cultures, and the Narration of Global Warming

2012 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Young ◽  
Eric Dugas
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Public Sphere ◽  
Print Media ◽  
Environmental Sociology ◽  
French Language ◽  
Canadian English ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Media ◽  
Convergence And Divergence ◽  
The Public Sphere

This article compares how climate change is presented in English- and French-language print media in Canada. In recent years, climate change has become an increasingly divisive issue, with the media playing a central role in the promotion of competing claims and narratives in the public sphere. Using concepts from environmental sociology and the sociology of journalism, we examine content from six English- and two French-language newspapers from 2007-2008 (N=2,245), and find significant evidence of both convergence and divergence across the language divide. Among the most significant findings are differences in how complexity is handled: English outlets present diverse coverage that is highly compartmentalized, while the French newspapers present a narrower range of coverage but with thematically richer articles that better link climate change issues to the realms of culture, politics, and economy.

scholarly journals Comparing the effects of climate change labelling on reactions of the Taiwanese public

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Li-San Hung ◽  
Mucahid Mustafa Bayrak
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
General Public ◽  
Risk Perceptions ◽  
Climate Change Risk ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Behavioural Intentions ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Media ◽  
Change Beliefs ◽  
Climate Crisis

AbstractScientists and the media are increasingly using the terms ‘climate emergency’ or ‘climate crisis’ to urge timely responses from the public and private sectors to combat the irreversible consequences of climate change. However, whether the latest trend in climate change labelling can result in stronger climate change risk perceptions in the public is unclear. Here we used survey data collected from 1,892 individuals across Taiwan in 2019 to compare the public’s reaction to a series of questions regarding climate change beliefs, communication, and behavioural intentions under two labels: ‘climate change’ and ‘climate crisis.’ The respondents had very similar responses to the questions using the two labels. However, we observed labelling effects for specific subgroups, with some questions using the climate crisis label actually leading to backlash effects compared with the response when using the climate change label. Our results suggest that even though the two labels provoke similar reactions from the general public, on a subgroup level, some backlash effects may become apparent. For this reason, the label ‘climate crisis’ should be strategically chosen.

scholarly journals Financial innovation and climate change: the case of renewable energy certificates and the role of the GATS

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 439-460
Author(s):  
PANAGIOTIS DELIMATSIS
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
World Trade Organisation ◽  
Secondary Markets ◽  
The Public ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Production Distribution

AbstractEnergy has come to the forefront of the public debate in the past decade for two main reasons: the first relates to the lack of a secure, continuous, and unconditional energy supply in the importing countries, mostly developed and transition economies, which are still dependent on non-renewable carbon-based fossil fuels. The second reason is that uncontrolled production, distribution, and use of conventional energy may lead to environmental degradation and global warming. Renewable energy certificates (RECs) are instruments that allow countries to promote energy generation from renewables and form part of domestic policies aimed at climate change mitigation and adaptation. Since RECs can be traded in secondary markets, this paper discusses issues raised by the nature of and the trade in RECs which can be of concern for the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the multilateral regulation of trade in financial services, notably in the case where World Trade Organisation (WTO) Members undertook sweeping commitments in financial services which equally apply to trade in RECs.

Environment and Energy: A Public Opinion Survey in Davao City

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
MAIAN J. COZO
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Systematic Sampling ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Government ◽  
The City

For the past decades, environment and its relevant issues are becoming the greatest concern of most countries. Public opinion becomes the interest of most policy makers and sociologist reformist. Improved understanding of public perceptions about global warming and other environmental issues can contribute to informing scientific and policy discussions. The aim of this study is to assess the (1) the extent of concern on the major environmental issues of the city (2) the preference between environmental protection and energy production, and (3) to compare the extent of concern of the public according to their respective district.  A total of 1151 respondents, ages 18 and above was derived using the systematic sampling at 95% confidence interval, and proportionate sampling distribution to ensure representativeness with the population of the city. The results suggest that Dabawenyos are greatly worried about global warming (92%), deforestation and urban flooding (88%), and energy crisis are considered as the most alarming environmental problem in the city. Moreover, they are more favorable to environmentally-friendly solutions in addressing the city’s energy problem, and the government should put greater emphasis on the development of renewable energy (96%). The degree of concerns and emphasis on environmental protection of the community can be directly equated to the traumatic environmental phenomena that had happened in the city.   Keywords: Ecology and Conservation, environmental issues, renewable energy, poll survey, Philippines

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