Do natural science experiments influence public attitudes towards environmental problems?

Wallner, Astrid; Hunziker, Marcel; Kienast, Felix (2003). Do natural science experiments influence public attitudes towards environmental problems? Global environmental change, 13(3), pp. 185-194. Elsevier 10.1016/S0959-3780(03)00042-6

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We investigated the significance of risk assessment studies in the public discussion on CO2 emissions. Politicians and representatives from the public where interviewed by using the social-science technique of qualitative in-depth interviews.
Three different types of attitudes towards natural science were found among politicians. Depending on which attitude a politician holds, risk assessment studies can have an impact on his/her readiness to support environmental policy measures.
Regarding lay people, key factors affecting the acceptance of environmental policy measures are knowledge of environmental problems, their impacts on ecosystems or human health as well as direct personal perception of those impacts. Since direct perception is not always possible in everyday life, natural science experiments might be a means for successfully mediating this lacking perception.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

10 Strategic Research Centers > Centre for Development and Environment (CDE)

UniBE Contributor:

Wallner-Schwab, Astrid Susanne

ISSN:

0959-3780

Publisher:

Elsevier

Language:

English

Submitter:

Melchior Peter Nussbaumer

Date Deposited:

04 May 2022 11:30

Last Modified:

02 Mar 2023 23:36

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/S0959-3780(03)00042-6

BORIS DOI:

10.48350/169566

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/169566

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