Digital Commons Network^™

From Negative To Positive Algorithm Rights, Cary Coglianese, Kat Hefter

All Faculty Scholarship

Artificial intelligence, or “AI,” is raising alarm bells. Advocates and scholars propose policies to constrain or even prohibit certain AI uses by governmental entities. These efforts to establish a negative right to be free from AI stem from an understandable motivation to protect the public from arbitrary, biased, or unjust applications of algorithms. This movement to enshrine protective rights follows a familiar pattern of suspicion that has accompanied the introduction of other technologies into governmental processes. Sometimes this initial suspicion of a new technology later transforms into widespread acceptance and even a demand for its use. In this paper, we …

Do Economic Conditions Affect Climate Change Beliefs And Support For Climate Action? Evidence From The Us In The Wake Of The Great Recession, Andrew G. Meyer

Economics Faculty Research and Publications

I show that climate skepticism increases with negative economic shocks and that the effects are concentrated among individuals in the labor force. I primarily employ a panel of US individuals in the period following the Great Recession, but also find consistent results with an alternative instrumental variables strategy. Among labor force participants, a one‐percentage point increase in the local unemployment rate leads to a three to five percentage point decrease in the probability of believing climate change is real and requires action. I conclude that support for climate change policies could depend on labor market conditions.

The Psychology Of Separation: Border Walls, Soft Power, And International Neighborliness, Diana C. Mutz, Beth A. Simmons

All Faculty Scholarship

This study assesses the impact of international border walls on evaluations of countries and on beliefs about bilateral relationships between states. Using a short video, we experimentally manipulate whether a border wall image appears in a broader description of the history and culture of a little-known country. In a third condition, we also indicate which bordering country built the wall. Demographically representative samples from the United States, Ireland, and Turkey responded similarly to these experimental treatments. Compared to a control group, border walls lowered evaluations of the bordering countries. They also signified hostile international relationships to third-party observers. Furthermore, the …

Influencing Public Opinion: Activist Public Relations And The Arrest Of Susan B. Anthony, Arien Rozelle

The Seneca Falls Dialogues Journal

The Suffrage movement stands out as an early progressive cause that utilized an integrated approach to public relations in support of a clear objective. The arrest of Susan B. Anthony provided the movement with a huge opportunity to influence public opinion in order to win the right to vote.

'We Want Women?': An Examination Of Female Political Leadership During National Public Health Crises, Kelsi Rae Quick

Political Science Theses

While crises of terrorism have often prompted preference for male leadership, COVID-19 poses an ideal situation for examining the impact of gender stereotypes on executive approval in a new type of crisis tied to public health, seen as more of a ‘woman’s domain.’ Employing a survey experiment to examine public perception of male and female political leadership during different types of hypothetical national crises (terrorism v. highly contagious virus), this study ultimately finds that there is not a significant difference in average approval ratings between male and female executives in the virus crisis context, and a small difference with females …

Political Attitudes And Behavior In A Pandemic: Factors Affecting Compliance With Covid-19 Policies, Christopher Palmer

Masters Theses

The ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis provides a unique opportunity to examine the role that public opinion plays in policy efficacy. More specifically, what factors contribute to different policy outcomes within the population? Governments and institutions at all levels have sought to incentivize compliance behavior utilizing different approaches. Statistical models were used to examine the relationship between attitudes and behaviors within the United States in this context. Trust is the primary focus in this paper because of its role in a public health crisis with consideration for rules and norms of social interaction. The analysis herein shows that social trust …

The Role Of Sex: An Analysis Of U.S. Attitudes Toward Climate Change, Chloe Riggs

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes the intersection of sex, environmental risk perception of climate change, and feminism. More specifically, with a sample size of 8,280 respondents from the American National Election Studies (ANES) 2020 Times Series Study, this research examines the relationship between pro-environmental attitudes and sympathy for feminism, controlling for sex, as well as if a measure of sympathy for feminism influences pro-environmental attitudes, controlling for demographic (age, education, race, sex, and income) and political preference (political ideology and party affiliation) variables. Previous literature strongly supports a sex gap in risk perception, a pattern known as the White Male Effect (WME) …

Fear And Skepticism: A Changing Climate During The Trump Era, Devin Lopez

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Public awareness of the climate crisis has increased over the past several decades due in part to increased exposure to climate science and the drastic reports released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This report uses the past four years of the Chapman Survey on American Fears to track the groups most fearful of climate change and those who have high levels of environmental concern. The variables tracked across these years include individual income, education level, age, political ideology and party identification, as well as the extent to which one believes the Bible is literal in its content. These …

Effects Of Conspiracy Rhetoric On Views About The Consequences Of Climate Change And Support For Direct Carbon Capture, Toby Bolsen, Risa Palm, Justin Kingsland

USI Publications

We implemented two survey-experiments to test the impact of conspiracy rhetoric on the views of US residents about the consequences of climate change and support for direct carbon capture. The first study focused on how receptive respondents were to a scientific report on the impacts of climate change when they were also presented with conspiracy-based criticism of the report’s conclusions. The second study explored how conspiracy rhetoric criticizing a report recommending the consideration of direct carbon capture influences support for the technology. We assess the effects of exposure to the conspiracy claims both in isolation and in contexts where scientific …

Public Awareness And Support For Use Of Wastewater For Sars-Cov-2 Monitoring: A Community Survey In Louisville, Kentucky, Rochelle H. Holm, J. Michael Brick, Alok R. Amraotkar, Joy L. Hart, Anish Mukherjee, Jacob Zeigler, Adrienne M. Bushau-Sprinkle, Lauren B. Anderson, Kandi L. Walker, Daymond Talley, Rachel J. Keith, Shesh N. Rai, Kenneth E. Palmer, Aruni Bhatnagar, Ted Smith

Faculty Scholarship

The majority of sewer systems in the United States and other countries, are operated by public utilities. In the absence of any regulation, public perception of monitoring wastewater for population health biomarkers is an important consideration for a public utility commission when allocating resources for this purpose. In August 2021, we conducted a survey as part of an ongoing COVID-19 community prevalence study in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY. The survey comprised of seven questions about awareness of and privacy concerns and was sent to 32,000 households randomly distributed within the county. A total of 1,220 sampled adults participated in the probability …

Revealing Public Opinion Towards Covid-19 Vaccines With Twitter Data In The United States: Spatiotemporal Perspective, Tao Hu, Siqin Wang, Wei Luo, Mengxi Zhang, Xiao Huang, Yingwei Yan, Regina Liu, Kelly Ly, Viraj Kacker, Bing She, Zhenlong Li

Faculty Publications

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed a large, initially uncontrollable, public health crisis both in the United States and across the world, with experts looking to vaccines as the ultimate mechanism of defense. The development and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines have been rapidly advancing via global efforts. Hence, it is crucial for governments, public health officials, and policy makers to understand public attitudes and opinions towards vaccines, such that effective interventions and educational campaigns can be designed to promote vaccine acceptance.

Objective:The aim of this study was to investigate public opinion and perception on COVID-19 vaccines in the United …

The Impact Of Local Demographic Change In The Contemporary United States, Christopher Maggio

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Growing racial/ethnic diversity has undoubtedly made a major social and political impact in many localities across the United States in recent times. Various studies have addressed local reactions to this demographic change, most commonly highlighting backlash among the White population. This dissertation takes an in-depth look at the impact of these demographic changes on several key outcomes: the 2016 presidential election, White attitudes toward immigration policy, and perceptions of racism among racial/ethnic minorities that may emerge as a result of White backlash. These studies are careful to examine particular subsamples that may be more or less susceptible to backlash or …

There Goes The Sun: Media Framing And Public Attitudes On Solar Panel Tariffs, Anna Mccaghren Fleming

Political Science Dissertations

The media functions as an intermediary between policymakers and the public. As such, it is vital to understand how the media frames particular policies and how attitudes can be shaped as a result of media framing. This dissertation examines media frames and attitudes surrounding solar panel tariffs. It is important to understand media frames and attitudes about policies concerning renewable energy, because climate change is one of the greatest threats facing humanity today. Increased reliance on renewable energy, as opposed to fossil fuels, has the power to mitigate the potential negative outcomes of climate change. In this dissertation, I present …

What A Novel Can Teach Us About Religion In America, Bruce Ledewitz

Newspaper Columns

Collected biweekly contributions to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, a nonpartisan, nonprofit news site.

Media And Social Media Best Practices For Feminist Activist Groups And Organizations, Arien Rozelle

The Seneca Falls Dialogues Journal

Feminist organizations and activist groups from the Women’s Suffrage movement to the Women’s March have utilized media relations tactics and techniques to share organizational messages. Over time, the art of media relations has evolved from a tactical role to a strategic necessity, one that is vital to the success of any activist organization or group as they seek to inform, educate and/or persuade their intended audience through the use of media and social media.

This essay identifies best practices for feminist activist groups and organizations to help begin or improve their media relations efforts, ranging from initial hiring, to media …

Electoral Outcomes And Support For Westminster Democracy, Hannah M. Ridge

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

It is well established that those who supported the winning side in elections report greater specific democratic support – they are more satisfied with the functioning of their democracy – than those who supported the losing side. This literature, however, has focused almost exclusively on winning the presidency or premiership. This project extends that literature to incorporate the effect of district election victories and defeats on citizens’ democratic opinions using post-election surveys in three Westminster-style democracies: Australia, Canada, and Great Britain. It also includes two indicators of democratic institutional support: believing it matters for whom people vote and believing it …

What Do Americans Think About Federal Tax Options To Support Transportation? Results From Year Twelve Of A National Survey, Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Hilary Nixon

Mineta Transportation Institute

This report summarizes the results from the twelfth year of a national public opinion survey asking U.S. adults questions related to their views on federal transportation taxes. A nationally-representative sample of 2,516 respondents completed the online survey from February 5 to 23, 2021.

The questions test public opinions about raising the federal gas tax rate, replacing the federal gas tax with a new mileage fee, and imposing a mileage fee just on commercial travel. In addition to asking directly about support for these tax options, the survey collected data on respondents’ views on the quality of their local transportation system, …

Beyond The Politics Of Climate Change: How Education And Income Level Affect Environmental Values, Joanna Falla

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Human-caused climate change has been acknowledged for decades, but public opinion on its validity and severity has been consistently questioned in the United States. Despite the overwhelming evidence pointing towards fossil fuel emissions and unsustainable practices as the leading causes of global climate change, its politicization during the beginning of the century has seriously slowed down America’s path towards a green future. Because this has become a partisan issue for many voters, considerable research has been done on the affiliation between party identification and public opinion on climate change. Although party identification has been studied as a major factor, other …

Ehr/Emr/Phr Technology Impact On The Medical Community And Public Opinion, Jason T. Queen

Honors Capstones

Electronic charting and record keeping is a relatively new practice in terms of health care documentation. Electronic medical charting has evolved into electronic health records (EHR), electronic medical records (EMR), and personal health records (PHR). These records theoretically present tremendous upside and potential to improve patient care, engagement, and communication. An assessment of public opinion regarding this technology and their experiences can determine if these online platforms are the future of health care, or if it is impractical and other avenues should be explored. Secondary research was conducted through peer-reviewed scholarly articles to provide an overview on the effectiveness, impact …

History, Nationalism, And Public Opinion: The Memorialization Of George Mason, Kasandra Fager

Honors Projects

The George Mason Memorial , built on the National Mall in 2002, captures the accomplishments of George Mason, a Founding Father, author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, and he refused to sign the U.S. Constitution. Identifying Mason's history and exploring the motivations and struggles of the creation of the memorial opens a conversation for public opinion regarding the memorial's physical manifestation. The height of the Jefferson Memorial, the height of the George Washington obelisk, and the beauty of the Lincoln Memorial is seen as a testament of their god-like status in American history. So, where does this leave Mason’s …

Public Opinion Of Uas Integration, Katelynn Hall

Student Research Symposium

Recent innovations in both technology and regulations mean UAVs are rapidly moving forward and are expected to be introduced into communities for the delivery of goods and packages in the near future. The private sector is advancing UAV technology, and the public sector is preparing for its integration through new regulations and the determination of appropriate landing sites and other infrastructure needed for UAVs. However, prior research into the public opinion of the integration of this technology has been limited in depth and scope. As with any disruptive technology, public opinion is vital to UAVs successful integration. As a negative …

Medicine And The Media, Baylee Dusenberry

Student Research Symposium

PROBLEM: The media has become a normalized part of American society. The use of media in reporting COVID-19 is a prime example of how media can impact a public's medical knowledge and opinion. The main concern: are people properly filtering the influx of information between evidence-based practices and medical opinion? With the accessibility of information comes a likelihood that the public isn't doing their part to fact-check what they're given. Inaccurate information can cause health issues among the public. STUDY DESIGN: The study design will be a representational online survey sent to American Adults ages 18 years and older. Univariate-ANOVA …

I’Ll Be Dammed! Public Preferences Regarding Dam Removal In New Hampshire, Natallia Leuchanka Diessner, Catherine M. Ashcraft, Kevin H. Gardner, Lawrence C. Hamilton

New Hampshire EPSCoR

Decisions about dams, like other environmental conflicts, involve complex trade-offs between different water uses with varying human and ecological impacts. Given the many upcoming dam decisions in New England, an improved understanding of public preferences is needed to steward resources. This research asks (1) What does the public want to see happen with dams? and (2) How do public preferences regarding dam removal vary with demography and politics? We address these questions using data from three random sample statewide telephone polls conducted in New Hampshire over 2018 that asked people for their preferences concerning dam removal versus maintaining dams for …

Catholics And Capital Punishment: Do Pope Francis’S Teachings Matter In Policy Preferences?, Francis T. Cullen, Amanda Graham, Kellie R. Hannan, Alexander L. Burton, Leah C. Butler, Velmer S. Burton Jr.

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

In the United States, Catholics make up more than 50 million members of the adult population, or about one in five Americans. It is unclear whether their religious affiliation shapes Catholics’ views on public policy issues, ranging from the legality of abortion to criminal justice practices. Capital punishment is especially salient, given that Pope Francis announced in 2018—as official Catholic Church teaching—that the death penalty is “inadmissible” under all circumstances. Based on two national surveys, the current project explores Catholics’ support for state executions before (2017) and after (2019) the Pope’s momentous change in the church’s Catechism. At present, little …

I’Ll Be Dammed! Public Preferences Regarding Dam Removal In New Hampshire, Natallia Leuchanka Diessner, Catherine Ashcraft, Kevin H. Gardner, Lawrence C. Hamilton

New Hampshire EPSCoR

Decisions about dams, like other environmental conflicts, involve complex trade-offs between different water uses with varying human and ecological impacts, have significant impacts on public resources, and involve many stakeholders with diverse and often conflicting interests. Given the many upcoming dam decisions in New England and across the United States, an improved understanding of public preferences about dam decisions is needed to steward resources in the public interest. This research asks (1) What does the public want to see happen with dams? and (2) How do public preferences regarding dam removal vary with demography and politics? We address these questions …

The Domestic Reality Of Foreign Policy: The 1994 Clinton Administration Response To The Crises In Rwanda And Haiti, Camara Kemanini Silver

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Domestic politics steered The 1994 Clinton Administration's response to the violence in Rwanda and Haiti. This dissertation takes a novel approach by employing a case study method to gauge the political capital of domestic variables such as the news media, interest groups, and public opinion. This dissertation argues that domestic variables' presence and absence can explain foreign policy outcomes in a post-Cold War era. The fear of another version of a "Black Hawk Down" forced the Clinton Administration to streamlined its support in foreign policy decisions requiring domestic input. The 1994 crises in Rwanda and Haiti offer two case studies …

Public Opinion Regarding Government Response To Covid-19: Case Study Of A Large Commercial City In Nigeria, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph.D., Sorochi Iloanusi, Osaro Mgbere, Nchebe-Jah Raymond Iloanusi, Anthony Idowu Ajayi, Ekere James Essien

Faculty Publications

Introduction: government measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be effective without widespread compliance by the public. A greater understanding of citizens' perceptions of these measures can help government agencies adapt their strategies to boost compliance. We examined citizens' perceptions of government's measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications on compliance using data from Onitsha city, Anambra State Nigeria.

Methods: data was obtained through in-person interviews of 140 consenting adults in March 2020. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to summarize the data.

Results: most participants (84.7%) doubted government's ability to manage the COVID-19 outbreak, raising concerns about …

Sacrifice For The Mandate Of Heaven? Regression Discontinuity Of Death Penalty Execution In Taiwan, Austin Horng En Wang, Yuan Ning Chu, Fang Yu Chen, Ming Jui Yeh

Political Science Faculty Research

© 2021 Western Social Science Association. The death penalty enjoys overwhelmingly cross-partisan support among Taiwanese citizens. Politicians, mass media actors, and anti-death-penalty activists all believe that death penalty executions boost the president’s approval. As a result, Taiwanese presidents are motivated to strategically execute prisoners, trying to improve their approval rate. To examine this myth, we exploit data from a nationally representative survey conducted in 2012; six inmates were unexpectedly executed during the survey period. This unique opportunity enables us to examine the causal relationship between implementing a welcoming policy and its effect on public opinion. Contrary to popular belief, however, …

Just Like The Others: Party Differences, Perception, And Satisfaction With Democracy, Hannah M. Ridge

Political Science Faculty Articles and Research

A robust literature on citizens’ satisfaction with democracy argues that system satisfaction is based on the policy outcomes that citizens anticipate from electoral results. A tacit assumption in this research is that there are differences between the parties and that citizens are aware of the ideological and preference diversity in their political environment. Some citizens, however, fail to perceive these differences. Using a multi-national set of post-election surveys, regression analysis, and propensity score matching, perceived party difference is shown to substantially impact citizens’ systemic satisfaction. Those who believe all parties are the same are substantially less satisfied with the functioning …

What Does The Public Want Police To Do During Pandemics? A National Experiment, Justin Nix, Stefan Ivanov, Justin T. Pickett

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

We administered a survey experiment to a national sample of 1,068 US adults in April 2020 to determine the factors that shape support for various policing tactics in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents were sharply divided in their views about pandemic policing tactics, and were least supportive of policies that might limit public access to officers or reduce crime deterrence. Information about the health risks to officers, but not to inmates, significantly increased support for “precautionary” policing, but not for “social distance” policing. The information effect was modest, but may be larger if the information came from official …