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published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / English Studies / Master / Master of Arts

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This research project develops a theoretical approach to the study of the experience of environmental quality. The approach is derived from the transactional perspective of perception and uses the concepts of mergence and barriers to explain how people's experience of a place relates to their judgment of environmental quality. It assumes that people value environments which facilitate positive emotional experiences and that the judgment of environmental quality is related to the potentialities of the environment to provide a context for valued experiences. The implications of this theory are discussed with regard to the differences between the experience of built versus natural environments, an experiential versus value system approach to environmental quality, and the value of high quality natural environments. The first study used a structured interview to examine people's experience and evaluation of high and low quality built and natural environments in the Tucson area. The second study examined the use of photographic surrogates for the study of environmental quality by comparing objective photographs with subjective photographs taken by people visiting environments. The results support the view that the human valuing process is an affective, synthesizing, and concretizing process. The experiential differences between built and natural environments were examined with regard to the degree of interrelatedness of the physical, social, and functional aspects of the environment. The experiential and value system approaches to studying environmental quality were shown to be complementary, and some potential problems with the value system approach were examined. The value of high quality natural environments was shown to relate to the symbolic, spiritual and experiential meaning which people attribute to them. Although there were differences between the two methods of photographically simulating environments, both methods were shown to be useful for providing surrogates for the study of environmental quality. Overall, this research demonstrated the value of a holistic experiential framework for the study of environmental quality which helps to unite scientific research with people's experience of the environment.

This study attempts to determine the factors which account for the fact that women are both more opposed and uncertain than men concerning the further development of nuclear energy. To that end, data from four national opinion surveys covering the period 1975-1979 are employed. Log-linear techniques are used in the analyses. Two plausible explanations for women's greater aversion to nuclear power are presented. The marginality explanation attributes the differential support of men and women for nuclear power to the differential positions which they occupy in the economic, political, and technical spheres within society. Because men hold more central positions in these areas, it is postulated that they will perceive a greater need for additional energy and continued economic growth, believe that the advantages of nuclear power toward these goals are greater, and be more confident in applications of nuclear technology. The fact that men express more favorable attitudes toward nuclear power is thus to be explained by these factors. The safety explanation attributes the sex difference to a greater concern on the part of women about the safety of using nuclear fission to generate electricity. The general thrust of this argument is that women's greater concern for safety revolves around their reproductive and nurturant roles, and the protection of future generations. Uncertainty is viewed as a special problem. An explanation for women's greater uncertainty, which attributes the difference to a sex-typed expectation concerning the formulation and expression of opinions on complex technical issues, is presented. Since children are socialized to view science and technology as primarily male fields, it is argued that the expectation to appear informed and provide opinions on technical topics like nuclear energy is less strong for women. The pattern of sex differences observed across a large number of survey items supports this view. With regard to the competing explanations for the sex difference in opposition to nuclear energy, the analyses support the safety rather than the marginality argment. Women are found to believe that nuclear power plants are less safe than men do, and to rate the problems of nuclear power as more serious. Controlling for these factors accounts for the sex difference in support for nuclear power, both in general and in respondents' local communities. Contrary to the implications of the marginality argument, women view our energy problems as more serious than men do, and there are virtually no sex differences with regard to the ratings given to various economic and other advantages of nuclear power. In line with the predictions of that argument, men are somewhat more likely to opt for producing energy over protecting the environment, and also more confident that the technical capability to rely more heavily on nuclear power currently exists. However, controlling for these factors fails to account for the sex difference. Additional topics addressed include the role of key opinion leadership groups in shaping the public opinion process concerning nuclear energy, and sex differences in reaction to the Three Mile Island accident. Women express greater confidence than men in environmentalists and Ralph Nader's organization, but no sex differences are found in confidence in scientists or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Hypothetical pro or con statements from each of these groups effect striking changes in the distribution of opinions of nuclear power. The magnitude of these changes in support vs. opposition is the same for both sexes. However, attaching the "expert opinion" results in a convergence of male and female uncertainty. Finally, the comparison of pre and post-TMI attitudes indicates a perception that the accident was more serious, and a greater increase in opposition to nuclear power among women.

No description available.

Agenda-setting hypotheses inform political communications studies of media influence (public agenda-setting), as well as examinations of the policymaking process (policy agenda-setting). In both cases, studies concentrate on the salience of issues on actors' agendas, and the dynamic process through which these agendas change and effect each other. The results, narrowly conceived, offer a means of observing media effects or the policy process. Broadly conceived, agenda-setting analyses speak to the nature of relationships between major actors in a political system. This study differs from most past agenda-setting research in several ways. First, this project draws together public and policy agenda-setting work to build a more comprehensive model of the expanded agenda-setting process. Secondly, the modeling makes no assumptions about the directions of causal influence - econometric methods are used to establish causality, allowing for a more nuanced and accurate model of issue dynamics. Quantitative evidence is derived from a longitudinal dataset (1985-1995) including the following: a content analysis of Canadian newspapers (media agenda), 'most important problem' results from all available commercial polls (public agenda), and measures of attention to issues in Question Period, committees, Throne Speeches, government spending, and legislative initiatives (policy agenda). Data is collected for eight issues: AIDS, crime, debt/deficit, environment, inflation, national unity, taxation, and unemployment. The present study, then, is well situated to add unique information to several ongoing debates in agenda-setting studies, and provide a bird's eye view of the media-public-policy dynamics in Canadian politics. Many hypotheses are introduced and tested. Major findings include: (1) there is a Canadian national media agenda; (2) the salience of issues tends to rise and fall simultaneously across Canada, although regional variation exists based on audience attributes and issue obtrusiveness; (3) there is no adequate single measure of the policy agenda - government attention to issues must be measured at several points, and these tend to be only loosely related; (4) the agenda-setting dynamics of individual issues are directly and systematically related to attributes such as prominence and duration; (5) Canadian media and public agendas can be affected by the US media agenda.

<p>South Africa has one of the highest HIV and AIDS prevalence rates and the pandemic shows no signs of abating. Challenges facing South Africa in combating this pandemic include the social responses of fear, denial, stigma and discrimination. Stigma related to HIV and AIDS poses a major barrier to treating and managing HIV and AIDS. Stigma is defined as involving an attribute which significantly discredits an individual in the eyes of others or society. This attribute is therefore seen by others as being negative, something which devalues, spoils or flaws an individual. Perceived or felt stigma is described as being the anticipation of rejection and the shame of having the stigma, whereas enacted stigma refers to actual incidents of discrimination. The aim of this study was to determine, from the experiences of people living with HIV and AIDS, whether stigma manifests within the South African primary health care system.</p>

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Indiana has 7-8 years of landfill capacity remaining until its landfills are full. Delaware County has been without a municipal sanitary landfill since 1985. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Delaware County public opinion on solid waste management issues in order to ultimately include the public in the management process. Two hundred eighty-one Delaware County residents were surveyed by telephone to assess their knowledge and opinions on solid waste management issues. Two sets of conditions were hypothesized to influence attitudes: urban versus rural living environment, and educational level. There was no significant difference (P<0.05) between urban and rural attitudes towards waste management options. There was a difference between responses as a function of educational level; the more educated respondents were more aware of solid waste disposal issues. It was concluded that the public is aware of both national and local waste management issues, and are in favor of legislative control measures. / Department of Natural Resources