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Probing public perceptions on energy: Support for a comparative, deep-probing survey design for complex issue domains

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  • Stoutenborough, James W.
  • Shi, Liu
  • Vedlitz, Arnold

Abstract

Surveys of public attitudes have increasingly been criticized for being superficial and too fragmented to sufficiently represent views comprehensively within a complex issue domain. Attitudes are often assessed without context, and the scope of these surveys tends to be relatively narrow. With these concerns in mind, we developed a survey of adults in the United States that incorporated an approach that looks comparatively and in-depth at sub-issues within a larger policy domain, thereby probing deeper into individuals' attitudes than typically found. Our emphasis is on energy issues. As debates over energy issues like hydraulic fracturing, oil exploration, gas prices, and renewable energy rage, it is increasingly important to accurately and fully evaluate public attitudes. We present the results of this survey and evaluate the benefits of utilizing a sub-issue comparative, deep-probing survey instrument.

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  • Stoutenborough, James W. & Shi, Liu & Vedlitz, Arnold, 2015. "Probing public perceptions on energy: Support for a comparative, deep-probing survey design for complex issue domains," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 406-415.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:81:y:2015:i:c:p:406-415
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2014.12.053
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. So-Yun Jeong & Jae-Wook Kim & Han-Young Joo & Young-Seo Kim & Joo-Hyun Moon, 2021. "Development and Application of a Big Data Analysis-Based Procedure to Identify Concerns about Renewable Energy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-13, August.
    3. Olson-Hazboun, Shawn K. & Howe, Peter D. & Leiserowitz, Anthony, 2018. "The influence of extractive activities on public support for renewable energy policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 117-126.
    4. Gustafson, Abel & Goldberg, Matthew H. & Kotcher, John E. & Rosenthal, Seth A. & Maibach, Edward W. & Ballew, Matthew T. & Leiserowitz, Anthony, 2020. "Republicans and Democrats differ in why they support renewable energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    5. Wang, Lingling & Watanabe, Tsunemi, 2019. "Effects of environmental policy on public risk perceptions of haze in Tianjin City: A difference-in-differences analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 199-212.
    6. Edwards, Michelle L., 2018. "Public perceptions of energy policies: Predicting support, opposition, and nonsubstantive responses," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 348-357.
    7. Shawn Olson Hazboun & Hilary Schaffer Boudet, 2020. "Public Preferences in a Shifting Energy Future: Comparing Public Views of Eight Energy Sources in North America’s Pacific Northwest," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-21, April.

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