Public Perception, Understanding, and Values By: M. Granger Morgan Summary by: Hai Nguyen Critique by: Thach Du

Key points Why do public perceptions matter? Difficulty in measuring public perception, understanding and values Improved methods for studying public understanding, perceptions, and values Developing risks communication materials Some hypothesis about public perceptions and values as they relate to Industrial Ecology

Why do public perceptions matter? If an organization wants to make changes that causes less loading on the environment and the changes require modifying public policy or behavior Ex  The government wants to increase certain taxes that would help decrease pollution to the environment Public needs to be polled

Difficulty in measuring public understanding, perception, and values Problems with standard method of surveying How much do respondents know about the particular subject  Determines response (Example) How the question is framed  Care must be taken about how questions are asked (Example)

Improved methods for studying public perception, understanding, and values Traditional approach Organization wants to put together a risk communication brochure  Radiation health expert, public relations or communications firm, lay audience Problems with traditional approach  How much does the public(lay people) know about the subject that the brochure explains  Public needs to know certain minimum amount of information to make decisions

Improved methods for studying public perception, understanding, and values contd New National Science Foundation Approach Open minded elicitation about peoples beliefs about risk that could bring out correct and incorrect beliefs Design and use a survey based on information uncovered by the interviews Use information gathered from interviews and surveys to make a appropriate risk communication brochure

Developing risk communication materials When decisions that could cost billions of dollars to solve a environmental problem are considered, society needs to be informed about the subject to make accurate decision

Developing risk communication materials cont Brochure by author and colleagues at Carnegie Mellon University Brief overview of the subject and a list of corrections of common misunderstandings Describe the environmental hazard  What could happen  What could be done Discussion of environmental hazard in detail

Developing risk communication materials cont When the brochure from the author and colleagues distributed to a test group, people admitted they were lost after the second part

Hypotheses about public perception and values as they pertain to Industrial Ecology Public supports improving the environment but sees the issue in moral terms Good vs. Bad Public sees energy conservation as morally correct, a way to save money, and requires sacrifice Public sees protection of environment as a sacrifice and does not see alternate methods

Hypotheses about public perception and values as they pertain to Industrial Ecology contd Public does not see taxes as a solution for solving environmental problems

Critique: Ty Du Paper’s weakness Paper’s strength Conclusion “Public Perception, Understanding, and Values” by Granger Morgan

Paper’s Weakness Difficult to measure public perception Sample population of the survey

Paper’s Strength Public needs to be educated before polling People with education are not educated

Conclusion Public perception is vital before introducing any change to public policy. To understand public perception, we must educate the public first. Thank goodness, seminar is over

Questions? ?