Selective perceptions of hydraulic fracturing

Abstract

Hydraulic fracturing (HF) is a focal topic in discussions about domestic energy production, yet the American public is largely unfamiliar and undecided about the practice. This study sheds light on how individuals may come to understand hydraulic fracturing as this unconventional production technology becomes more prominent in the United States. For the study, a thorough search of HF photographs was performed, and a systematic evaluation of 40 images using an online experimental design involving N = 250 participants was conducted. Key indicators of hydraulic fracturing support and beliefs were identified. Participants showed diversity in their support for the practice, with 47 percent expressing low support, 22 percent high support, and 31 percent undecided. Support for HF was positively associated with beliefs that hydraulic fracturing is primarily an economic issue and negatively associated with beliefs that it is an environmental issue. Level of support was also investigated as a perceptual filter that facilitates biased issue perceptions and affective evaluations of economic benefit and environmental cost frames presented in visual content of hydraulic fracturing. Results suggested an interactive relationship between visual framing and level of support, pointing to a substantial barrier to common understanding about the issue that strategic communicators should consider.

Mapping online visuals of shale gas controversy: a digital methods approach

“…The debate consisted of diverging interests and has a geopolitical dimension all discursively uttered in disagreements about shale gas exploration as an environmental risk and economic opportunity (Bomberg, 2017;Bugden et al, 2017;Dodge & Lee, 2017;Lis & Stankiewicz, 2017;Valerio-Ureña & Rogers, 2019;Williams et al, 2017;Williams & Sovacool, 2020). Some studies highlight the debate's visual aspects, as they influence how this controversy has evolved in different domains (Hendriks et al, 2017;Krause & Bucy, 2018;Metze, 2017;Sarge et al, 2015). Among these, the internet is a particular arena where the shale gas controversy evolved (Metze, 2018a).…”