Doctoral Dissertation Research: An Investigation of Individual and Group Attitudes Toward Water Resources in Portland, Oregon

最近调查的证据表明，尽管城市居民支持将水资源保护作为总的原则，但对具体的水资源保护措施存在重大反对。普遍态度和具体态度之间的这种脱节，包括那些通过行为表达的态度，是很常见的，而且往往被糟糕的衡量技术或过于简单化的理论所解释，如功利主义和利己主义政治。另类理论允许多重理性，并将态度-行为分离视为复杂的认知和决策过程的证据。地理学家、社会心理学家、社会学家、人类学家、经济学家、政治学家和其他学者发展的态度和决策文献为这一博士论文研究项目提供了理论背景，该项目将在俄勒冈州波特兰进行。该项目将调查城市居民的态度分歧程度，并旨在为不同的环境态度提供解释。我们将调查那些参加和不参加分水岭委员会和社区协会等地区性团体的居民的态度，因为这些团体经常参与环境决策，这引发了这样一个问题：参与者的观点在多大程度上代表了普通公众的观点。该项目将解决两组主要的研究问题：(1)城市居民对水资源保护的抽象(一般)和具体(具体)支持之间的差异有多大？如果是这样，是什么因素解释了这种分歧？(2)基于分水岭和邻里关系的组织的观点在多大程度上与他们被认为代表的人的观点一致？如果以地点为基础的小组参与者的观点与非参与者的观点不同，是什么因素导致态度差异？为了解决这些问题，正在进行半结构化访谈，并将使用Dillman调查方法进行科学调查，以便系统地收集有关居民与水有关的态度和行为的信息，以及有关社会人口和其他解释因素的信息。这项研究的结果将通过改善对城市居民对水资源保护的态度的了解，为波特兰地区和其他地区的自然资源规划和管理提供参考。该项目还将提供关于以地点为基础的群体的态度在多大程度上代表他们被认为服务的个人的新见解。环境态度和环境行为的知识对于制定和实施响应公众价值观和关切的有效自然资源政策至关重要，这是民主社会的一个重要目标。这项研究将促进对环境态度和行为背后的复杂因素以及依赖于既定的、地理定义的群体的公众参与战略的科学和实践的理解。作为博士论文研究改进奖，该奖项还将提供支持，使有前途的学生建立一个强大的独立研究生涯。

Evidence from recent surveys suggests that although urban residents support water resource protection as a general principle, significant opposition exists to specific water resource protection measures. Such disconnects between general and specific attitudes, including those expressed through behavior, are common and often are explained by poor measurement techniques or overly simplistic theories, such as utilitarianism and the politics of self-interest. Alternative theories allow for multiple rationalities and view the attitude-behavior split as evidence of complex cognitive and decision-making processes. The attitudinal and decision-making literature developed by geographers, social psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists, economists, political scientists, and other scholars provides the theoretical context for this doctoral dissertation research project, which will be conducted in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area. The project will investigate the degree of attitudinal divergence among urban residents, and it will aim to provide explanations for varying environmental attitudes. The attitudes of residents who do and do not participate in place-based groups like watershed councils and neighborhood associations will be examined, because the frequent involvement of such groups in environmental decision-making raises questions about the extent to which the views of participants represent those of the general public. The project will address two primary sets of research questions: (1) To what extent is there a divergence between urban residents' abstract (general) and concrete (specific) support for water resource protection? If so, what factors explain this divergence? (2) To what degree do the views of watershed- and neighborhood-based organizations correspond with those of the people they are thought to represent? If the views held by place-based group participants differ from those of non-participants, what factors contribute to attitudinal differences? To address these questions, semi-structured interviews are being conducted and a scientific survey will be implemented using the Dillman survey method in order to systematically collect information on residents' water-related attitudes and behavior as well as information about socio-demographic and other explanatory factors.The results of this research will inform natural resource planning and management in the Portland area and elsewhere through improved understanding of urban residents' attitudes toward water resource protection. The project also will provide new insights regarding the degree to which the attitudes of place-based groups are representative of the individuals they are thought to serve. Knowledge of environmental attitudes and behavior is critical to developing and implementing effective natural resource policies that are responsive to public values and concerns, an important objective in a democratic society. This research will advance scientific and practical understanding of the complex factors that underlie environmental attitudes and behavior as well as public involvement strategies that rely on established, geographically defined groups. As a Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement award, this award also will provide support to enable a promising student to establish a strong independent research career.