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Exploring the middle ground between environmental protection and economic growth
Michael D Kaplowitz1, Frank Lupi, Felix K Yeboah
1Michigan State University, USA.
Public Understanding of Science (Bristol, England)
|July 9, 2013
Summary
Most people see environmental protection and economic development as compatible, not opposing goals. This suggests survey questions should allow for nuanced environmental-economic policy preferences.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Policy
- Public Opinion Research
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Public preferences on environmental and economic issues are often framed as a dichotomy.
- Existing survey methods may not capture the complexity of public opinion on these topics.
- Researchers increasingly recognize that environmental protection and economic growth can be compatible.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine an alternative response format for environmental/economic policy preference questions.
- To explore public policy preferences, particularly in relation to support for recycling.
- To challenge the persistent use of dichotomous-choice questions in this domain.
Main Methods:
- Empirical examination of an alternative response format to dichotomous-choice questions.
- Analysis of stated policy preferences linked to respondents' support for recycling.
- Comparison of responses using different question formats.
Main Results:
- A majority of respondents do not perceive environmental protection and economic development as mutually exclusive.
- Most respondents view economic growth and environmental protection as compatible goals.
- Findings indicate a more heterogeneous public view on the environment-economy relationship than typically reported.
Conclusions:
- The exclusion of a middle response option in standard environmental/economic policy questions may introduce measurement error.
- Dichotomous questions can increase item nonresponse and fail to represent respondents who see environmental and economic goals as complementary.
- Survey methodologies should evolve to better capture nuanced public preferences on environmental and economic policy.
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