Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 4 of 4
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Evaluating Contradicting And Confirming Evidence: A Study On Beliefs And Motivated Reasoning, Zachary Alan Caddick
Evaluating Contradicting And Confirming Evidence: A Study On Beliefs And Motivated Reasoning, Zachary Alan Caddick
Master's Theses
The purpose of this study is to examine ideological, psychological, and demographic predictors of motivated reasoning. Three-hundred and seventy-seven participants from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk system completed written responses critically evaluating strengths and weaknesses in a vignette on the topic of anthropogenic climate change. The vignette has two fictional scientists present prototypical arguments for and against anthropogenic climate change that are constructed with equally flawed and conflicting reasoning from both view points. Written responses were coded by a team of trained and reliability assessed qualitative raters. Motivated reasoning is operationalized by providing supporting evidence for the congruent belief and counter evidence …
Are Countries In Environmental Cooperation Concerned About Relative Gains?, Vivian Chinua Olivia Ike
Are Countries In Environmental Cooperation Concerned About Relative Gains?, Vivian Chinua Olivia Ike
Master's Theses
A country’s decision to join or withdraw from environmental cooperation has been argued by interest based theories to be influenced by the economic cost of international agreements, national interest of countries and the free-rider problem. However, this thesis argues that relative gains is a more decisive factor that influences the decision of countries in international arrangements. It hypothesizes that countries in environmental cooperation are concerned about relative gains. A content analysis of the statements of fifteen countries in international climate change cooperation are analyzed. The countries include the United States, Russian Federation, Canada, Japan, Australia, China, Brazil, South Africa, India, …
Modeling Site Suitability Of Living Shoreline Design Options In Connecticut, Jason M. Zylberman
Modeling Site Suitability Of Living Shoreline Design Options In Connecticut, Jason M. Zylberman
Master's Theses
Erosion is both a natural and anthropogenic phenomenon that threatens many properties along the coast. Installing hard structures has been the status quo method to protect waterfront property. However, structural barriers such as seawalls and groins have adverse environmental impacts on coastal processes and ecosystem services, such as food, recreation, and storm protection. Living shorelines are viable alternatives to shoreline armoring in low to moderate wave energy climates. Living shorelines are nature-based shoreline protection strategies which also enhance natural habitat and promote ecosystem services. In an attempt to improve coastal resilience in Connecticut, this study developed an automated geospatial model …
The Impact Of Climate Change On Coastal Fog Hours Of California's Central Coast, Chrissy Rogers
The Impact Of Climate Change On Coastal Fog Hours Of California's Central Coast, Chrissy Rogers
Master's Theses
This study used observations and downscaled model output from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 to investigate diurnal temperature differences and their relationship to the number of fog hours in the future along California’s central coast. The study area extended north-south from Bodega Bay to the Santa Lucia Range and east-west from the coast of California to the western flank of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Analyses of Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios 4.5 and 8.5 showed that most of California’s central coast will likely see minimal changes in the number of fog hours per day through the turn of the …