Hamilton, Lawrence C. (author) and University of New Hampshire
Format:
Article
Publication Date:
2015-09-01
Published:
United States: Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 128 Document Number: D11245
Notes:
10 pages, via website, Conservative distrust of scientists regarding climate change and evolution has been widely expressed in public pronouncements and surveys, contributing to impressions that conservatives are less likely to trust scientists in general. But what about other topics, where some liberals have expressed misgivings too? Nuclear power safety, vaccinations, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are three widely mentioned examples. For this report, five similarly worded survey questions were designed to test the hypothesis that, depending on the issue, liberals are just as likely to reject science as conservatives. The five questions were included along with many unrelated items in telephone surveys of over 1,000 New Hampshire residents.
Author Larry Hamilton reports that, as expected, liberals were most likely and conservatives least likely to say that they trust scientists for information about climate change or evolution. Contrary to the topic-bias hypothesis, however, liberals also were most likely and conservatives least likely to trust scientists for information about vaccines, nuclear power safety, and GMOs.
Report based on data from a study among 3,757 students attending 18 institutions. Students who have chosen banking, dentistry, music and government service were found to be more conservative whereas the liberal attitudes were found among those planning on journalism, social work, law, and agriculture. The attitudes most favorable toward the college attended were found among students choosing such vocations as ministry, banking, teaching, and social service. The least favorable attitudes were indicated by the groups choosing aviation, agriculture, journalism, and music. It is possible that these unfavorable attitudes may be due in part to the inability of these 18 institutions to meet adequately the needs of students planning to enter aviation, agriculture, journalism, and music.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 207 Document Number: D12979
Notes:
Part IV: Journalistic Recovery Post-Trump: Lessons Learned -- "Stop Overlooking Us": missed intersections of Trump, media, and rural America, This book examines the disruptive nature of Trump news - both the news his administration makes and the coverage of it - related to dominant paradigms and ideologies of U.S. journalism. By relying on conceptualizations of media memory and "othering" through news coverage that enhances socio-conservative positions on issues such as immigration, the book positions this moment in a time of contestation. Contributors ranging from scholars, professionals, and media critics operate in unison to analyze today's interconnected challenges to traditional practices within media spheres posed by Trump news. The outcomes should resonate with citizens who rely on journalism for civic engagement and who are active in social change
