Collaborative Research: The Role of Information & Influence Campaigns in Structuring Public Responses to U.S. policy, 1988 - 2015

合作研究：信息和影响运动在构建公众对美国政策的反应中的作用，1988-2015越来越多的共识认为，通过一系列组织越来越多地使用信息和影响运动（IICs）来影响围绕各种国家重要问题的政治决策，公共辩论已经发生了转变。本研究旨在解释这些战略传播活动的范围和影响。为此，该项目：(1)绘制哪些组织参与具体国家问题辩论的地图；(2)对公共环境中用于影响目的的通信工具和策略进行扩展分析；(3)考察了指导行动者开展这些活动的观点和动机。该项目考虑了从1988年至2015年的27年间，包括公司、行业协会、研究机构、监管机构、倡导组织、政府和非政府组织在内的各种行动者之间的政治竞争和资源协调。这项研究支持了增加行为科学在联邦政府政策制定和实施中的作用的努力。这项研究使政策制定者了解了作为政策设计和制定的一部分的复杂互动过程，从而有助于政策制定者更好地让企业和公众参与政府政策的制定和实施。它还有助于社会学、政治学和媒体研究等多个领域的研究。本研究的总体目标是批判性地探究专业倡导运动对公共领域辩论的程度、影响和影响。这项研究将解释战略宣传运动对政治和公众对具体政策努力的反应的程度和影响。为了实现这一目标，该项目绘制了一个特定公共政策领域的组织图，并分析了随着时间的推移影响其形状的因素。研究人员对公共环境中用于影响目的的通信工具和策略进行了扩展分析。研究人员还进行了广泛的实地观察和访谈，以形成对指导进行这些活动的行动者的观点、动机和计划的情境理解。结合社会学和传播学研究的方法，研究人员将(a)运用宏观层面的网络分析来绘制1988年至2015年期间哪些组织在这一问题领域发挥了重要作用，它们发挥了什么功能，以及媒体和政府论坛如何帮助建立每个组织的突出程度和合法性；(b)收集组织特征，以定义和分析驱动该问题领域专业倡导的性质、程度和影响的因素（中观层面分析）；(c)在主要行业活动中进行半结构化访谈和观察，以评估在这个问题领域制造信息和影响运动的行动者的动机和理由（微观层面分析）。该研究有助于理解社会网络和制度安排如何影响参与者对政策问题的理解和思考。这项研究可以帮助学者、政策倡导者和政策制定者制定针对特定公众的更好的传播策略，从而更有效地制定政策。

Collaborative Research: The Role of Information & Influence Campaigns in Structuring Public Responses to U.S. Policy, 1988-2015There is a growing consensus that public debate has been transformed through the increased use of information and influence campaigns (IICs) by a range of organizations to affect political decision-making around a variety of nationally important issues. This research aims to explain the extent and impact of these strategic communications campaigns. To do this, the project: (1) maps which organizations participate in specific national issue debates; (2) conducts an extended analysis of communications tools and tactics used in public contexts for purposes of influence; and (3) examines the viewpoints and motivations guiding the actors who carry out these activities. The project considers the political contests and the coordination of resources among a wide variety of actors, including corporations, trade associations, research institutes, regulatory bodies, advocacy organizations, and governmental and non-governmental organizations over a 27-year period from 1988-2015. This research supports efforts to increase the role of the behavioral sciences in the federal government's policy development and implementation. This research informs policy makers about the complex processes of interaction that are part of the design and development of policy, and thus contribute to policy makers' ability to better engage businesses and the public in the development and implementation of government policy. It also contributes to multiple areas of research in sociology, political science and media studies.The overall objective of this research is to critically inquire into the extent, influence, and impact of professional advocacy campaigns on debates in the public sphere. The research will explain the extent and impact of strategic communications campaigns on political and public responses to specific policy efforts. To achieve this goal, the project maps the organization of one specific public policy area and analyzes the factors that influence its shape over time. The researchers conduct an extended analysis of communications tools and tactics used in public contexts for purposes of influence. The researchers also carry out extended field observations and interviews to develop a situated understanding of the viewpoints, motivations, and schemes guiding the actors who carry out these activities. Combining methods from sociology and communication studies, the researchers will (a) apply a macro-level network analysis to map which organizations have been featured in this issue arena between 1988 and 2015, what functions they serve, and how media and government forums help to establish each organization's level of prominence and legitimacy; (b) gather organizational characteristics to define and analyze the factors that drive the nature, extent, and impact of professional advocacy in this issue area (meso-level analysis); (c) conduct semi-structured interviews and observations at major industry events to assess the motives and rationales of the actors who create information and influence campaigns in this issue arena (micro-level analysis). The research contributes to understanding how social networks and institutional arrangements shape participants' understandings and thinking about policy issues. The research can assist scholars, policy advocates, and policymakers in developing better communications strategies that target particular publics and lead to more efficacious policy development.