prelim 2 content

What are the main reasons why climate change is considered so challenging to communicate (see Moser, 2010 in particular)?

Why is ‘place’ viewed as an important concept for understanding local responses to geothermal energy developments (Week 15.1)?

Explain two opportunities and two challenges that social media provides for CESH messengers?

two opportunities

1. Reach broad and targeted audiences quickly

• Social media allows messengers to spread information rapidly

• Can target specific groups (not just general public)

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2. Enables interaction and dialogue

• Interactive features (comments, replies) allow two-way communication

• Helps engage audiences and improve understanding

two challenges

1. Information homophily (echo chambers)

• People (including scientists) interact with like-minded groups

• Makes it harder to reach audiences outside science bubbles

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2. Outrage-driven environment (social media skirmishes)

• Platforms reward conflict, outrage, and simplified messages

• Scientists may feel pressure to oversimplify or engage in unproductive debates

To what extent is misinformation a ‘new’ problem?

What is a major limitation of studies identifying a high ‘prevalence’ of misinformation online?

Explain one argument for and one argument against (i) content moderation, (ii) debunking, and (iii) prebunking as ways of protecting the public from the harms of misinformation.