comm prelim

3 meaning of NIMBY

Not In My Backyard

1. Pejorative term for those opposing local developments

2. Spatial explanation for opposition where the closer you are the more likely you are to oppose developments

3. Individual-level explanation for opposition that assumes the public are ignorant, irrational, and selfish

Key features of multiway communication

Dialogical (active discussion and engagement between experts and the public)

participatory (experts open to the public)

epistemological (the public provides valuable knowledge to contribute to science and policy)

Three arguments of multiway communication

1. Normative: focus on how the world should be in a democratic society, dialogue is “a good thing in and of itself” (Example: moral obligcation to provide voices to audiences directly affected like indigenous people on environmental decisions)

1. Instrumental: multiway communication is a tool to achieve a specific desired outcome (Example: engaging public to foster trust like fulfilling a legal mandate from an agency like the FDA to protect public health)

1. Substantive: outside perspectives lead to better science and better decision-making (Example: sheep farming after Chernobyl where local farmers provided overlooked information by the scientists)

What are two key reasons why hunter education instructors have not

switched from lead to nonlead ammunition, e.g., psychological, economic, institutional, and

socio-cultural reasons?

1. Economic: nonlead is more expensive which creates a financial disincentive

2. Socio-cultural: lead ammunition has deep historical and cultural meaning so can be threatening to traditional values

Antecedents vs consequences of trust

antecedents: factors before trust and influences whether it’s granted (ex: perceived kindness, integrity, competence)

consequences: results once trust is established (ex: policy support, willingness to adopt interventions like wearing masks)

What is the primary function of trusting a CESH

messenger?

reducing complexity because of expertise in more nuanced topics like climate change

social trust vs competence

social trust: intentions of messenger

competence: knowledge and ability of the messenger

trust-eroding events

industry: tobacco covering health impacts of smoking cigs

government: lack of immediate response to COVID-19

science: rescinding published/peer-reviewed academic articles

What critical distinction does Onora O’Neill make between trust and trustworthiness?

trustworthiness matters more.

trust is the actual response where as trustworthiness is the actual quality of the messenger

Keohane et al. (2014) five ethical principles

1. honesty

2. precision

3. relevance

4. transparency

   1. specifying uncertainties

Strategic vs ad hoc/unstrategic

• Strategic Messengers:

  • Prepare for communication long before it becomes urgent or a crisis arises.

  • Remain flexible and adaptive to changing circumstances.

  • Utilize evidence-informed messages and best practices from communication science.

  • Continually seek to improve their knowledge and skills.

• Ad Hoc Messengers:

  • Prepare only for specific communication events or when forced by a crisis.

  • Stick rigidly to their initial plans, regardless of how the situation evolves.

  • Rely primarily on their own intuition or "gut feeling" rather than scientific evidence.

  • Lack awareness of the existing body of communication science and research.

tactics vs objectives vs goals

tactics: short term actions

objectives: measurable steps

goals: long-term outcomes

our types of uncertainty:

deficient, technical, consensus, and scientific

1. Deficient Uncertainty: These are "known unknowns"—things we are aware of but do not yet understand because of a deficit in knowledge .

   • Examples: Stating that "further research is needed" (FRIN), identifying specific knowledge gaps, or noting study limitations .

2. Technical Uncertainty: This stems from measurement errors, modeling approximations, and statistical assumptions .

   • Examples: Presenting information as probabilities (e.g., "10% chance"), using ranges (e.g., "7-15cm"), or providing 95% confidence intervals .

3. Consensus Uncertainty: This refers to the collective discord or accord among stakeholders, such as scientists, regarding a finding or prediction.

   • Examples: Stating that "97% of scientists agree humans are causing global warming" or highlighting disputed knowledge and controversies .

4. Scientific Uncertainty: These are "unknown unknowns"—the inherent reality that current information is just the best available and may change as knowledge evolves .

   • Example: The "Black Swan" event—Europeans assuming all swans were white until a Dutch navigator saw a black swan in 1697.