RAPID Proposal: The Impact of the BP Oil Spill on Views towards Nuclear Energy

这项研究评估了英国石油泄漏事件对美国人看待核能的影响程度。这项研究将对参与2010年3月下旬核能调查的500名受访者进行跟踪调查。虽然最初的调查并不打算包括第二波，但漏油事件创造了进行自然实验的机会。一种可能性是，通过让核能看起来风险相对较低，以及让参与核能的决策者看起来相对更负责任，漏油事件增加了对非石油能源的支持。第二种可能性是，漏油事件增加了美国人与复杂技术系统(如涉及核能的系统)联系在一起的风险，并让整个能源行业的决策者看起来不那么负责任，从而减少了对核能的支持。这项研究探索了媒体使用和调查问题顺序的可能性和问题。这项工作以这一独特的机会为基础，立足于与框架和公平观念的影响有关的当代研究和理论。这项研究的更广泛影响将通过努力整合关于能源替代的观点背后的民意动态领域的研究和提前发现来实现。这一发现将为与参与当前关于能源替代的辩论的其他组织提供信息。

This research assesses the degree to which the British Petroleum oil spill has had an impact on how Americans view nuclear energy. The study will follow-up with 500 survey respondents who took part in a late March 2010 survey about nuclear energy. While the original survey was not intended to include a second wave, the oil spill has created the opportunity for a natural experiment. One possibility is that the oil spill has increased support for non-petroleum based sources of energy by making nuclear energy seem relatively less risky and by making decision makers involved in nuclear energy seem relatively more responsible. A second possibility is that the oil spill will has decreased support for nuclear energy by increasing the risk that Americans associate with complex technical systems such as those involved in nuclear energy and by making decision makers involved in the overall energy industry seem less responsible. The research explores both possibilities as well as questions about the role of media use and survey question order. The work builds on this unique opportunity by grounding itself in contemporary research and theory related to the impact of framing and fairness perceptions.The broader impact of this research will be realized through its efforts to integrate research and advance discovery in the area of the public opinion dynamics underlying views about energy alternatives. The findings will inform collaboration with other organizations involved in current debates about energy alternatives.