Public Attitudes Research Articles

Photographic Representations of the Dutch–Indonesian Conflict in the Yogyakarta-Based Kedaulatan Rakjat Newspaper, 1945–1946

Abstract Historiography of the Dutch–Indonesian war, also known as the Indonesian Revolution, generally focuses on the origins and types of violence that occurred during the conflict. The war-related photographs published by the Indonesian press during the conflict have received hardly any examination by scholars. This article examines photographs published by the nationalist-leaning newspaper Kedaulatan Rakjat (KR) in Yogyakarta, the city known as the capital of the Indonesian Revolution, between 1945 and 1946. The KR published several types of photographs. The first introduced and promoted Indonesian national leaders. The second demonstrated the ruthlessness of the enemies of the Republic, especially the Dutch and the British. The third depicted the valour and victory of the Indonesian forces in the face of the enemy. The fourth illustrated the massive support of the Indonesian people for the Republic. The Republic’s foreign enemies only appeared graphically in the newspaper as cruel but weak soldiers or as cold-blooded politicians. Through the photographs published in the KR, the authority, efficacy, and strength of the newly born Republic were visually proven and further promoted, while the horror of the Dutch and British acts was continuously emphasized to a large audience. This, in turn, justified the hatred and violence against the Dutch and British. Through this photographic framing, the Kedaulatan Rakjat shaped public opinions and attitudes to support the fight against the Dutch and the British.

The Roles of Social Perception and AI Anxiety in Individuals’ Attitudes Toward ChatGPT in Education

Public attitudes are essential for technology promotion and policy formulation. The present study investigated the Chinese public’s knowledge of ChatGPT, as well as examined the roles played by Big-Five personality traits, social perception, and AI anxiety in shaping the public’s attitudes toward ChatGPT using the questionnaire method. Results showed that: (1) Nearly, 1/3 of teachers surveyed did not know ChatGPT at all, and all of them were primary and secondary school teachers. (2) The level of knowledge about ChatGPT was significantly related to gender, educational level, teaching stage (in teacher samples), and major (in student samples). (3) The public’s positive attitude is higher significantly than the negative attitude. (4) Social perception positively predicted positive attitudes and negatively predicted negative attitudes. Moreover, a notably higher predictive power for positive attitudes compared to negative attitudes was demonstrated by social perception. There is an equally predictive effect of competence perception and warmth perception on attitudes, without any domain effect observed. (5) AI anxiety only positively predicted negative attitudes but did not impact positive attitudes. In explaining negative attitudes, AI anxiety exhibited a higher explanatory power compared to the Big-Five personality traits, primarily correlating with neuroticism. The findings indicate that it’s inappropriate to consider attitude evaluation toward AI as a single dimension. There are relatively independent components for positive and negative attitudes toward AI. The roles played by other predictive variables in attitudes are discussed.

Mary Warnock and ‘Public Philosophy’

ABSTRACTThis article responds to the familiar characterisation of Mary Warnock as someone whose major achievements as a public intellectual, such as the Report on human fertilisation and embryology, were at the expense of philosophical rigour and integrity. I explicate her lifelong commitment to practical morality, and her understanding of ethics and of the role of feelings in moral judgments, before analysing her important distinction between the private and public moral attitude. ‘Public philosophy’ is what she believes is necessary for those seeking to make a difference in the world of law and policy. I highlight the importance for her of securing ‘acceptable’ legal outcomes, especially on issues of bioscientific development which are the subject of irreconcilable moral disagreements. I compare her distinction with others and contrast its use with relevant writing by John Rawls and Thomas Nagel. Finally, I defend her against misjudged criticism from her philosophical contemporaries, most notably Richard Hare.

Analisis Framing Berita Pemilu Capres 2024 di Media Liputan6.com

The purpose of this study is to investigate how social media is used in political contexts, particularly during the Indonesian presidential election of 2024. Social media has grown in importance in people's daily lives in the modern digital age, especially in the political sphere. A notable instance of presidential contenders using social media deliberately to sway voters is the Indonesian presidential election of 2024. Using a qualitative technique and a descriptive research design, this study focuses on the three leading candidates for the presidency of Indonesia in 2024. The data analysis technique used by the researchers is framing analysis. The goal of framing analysis is to ascertain how a media outlet manages the framing of news about, in this case, the Indonesian presidential candidates for 2024. The researchers discover that the media frequently gives more coverage to the front-runner for president after looking at a variety of presidential election stories. The real count results, which show one candidate ahead of the others, clearly demonstrate this. The research's conclusions offer a clearer knowledge of the political application of social media as well as how it affects the public's perception and attitude toward presidential candidates. Additionally, this study provides campaign teams and presidential candidates with information into how important social media tactics are in shaping public opinion.

Comparing the accuracy of ANN with transformer models for sentiment analysis of tweets related to COVID-19 Pfizer vaccines

The current study underscores the critical importance of understanding public sentiment towards vaccination efforts, particularly to achieve the widespread vaccine uptake necessary for public health security, especially in light of pandemics like COVID-19. Despite the clear critical role vaccinations play in mitigating pandemic spread, vaccine hesitancy persists as a formidable challenge. This research focuses on analyzing sentiments related to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine using Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, offering a comparative assessment of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) frameworks and transformer-based models. The study employs the Valence Aware Dictionary and sEntiment Reasoner (VADER) for sentiment quantification and TensorFlow for text vectorization. Within the ANN domain, both Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models are investigated, alongside the ALBERT and Distilbert models as a representative of transformer-based architectures. The empirical analysis reveals a distinct advantage of transformer-based models over ANN frameworks in accuracy, with the ALBERT model exhibiting exceptional skill in classifying sentiments of tweets concerning the COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer. The study meticulously employs Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to rank the performance of the evaluated models in sentiment classification, establishing ALBERT as the foremost model, followed in order by LSTM-CNN, Distilbert, CNN, and LSTM models. The ALBERT model demonstrates outstanding performance across critical evaluation metrics. The findings advocate for the strategic use of advanced NLP technologies in public health initiatives to better understand and respond to public attitudes towards vaccination, ultimately contributing to improved health outcomes and pandemic preparedness.

Immunization: How Vaccines Became Controversial. Prestige Publishing House, Bucharest, 2023. Stuart Blume

In Immunization: How Vaccines Became Controversial, Stuart Blume provides an in-depth analysis of vaccines, emphasizing their role beyond medicine into social, political, and economic realms. The book traces the history of vaccine hesitancy, linking it to socio-political changes, such as neoliberalism and commercialization processes. Blume highlights the dual nature of vaccines as public health instruments and commercial products, and how this duality contributes to vaccine hesitancy. He challenges common views on vaccine disparities between developed and developing nations, and examines the evolution of public attitudes towards vaccination. The transition from public to private vaccine production and the focus on profitable vaccines, often at the expense of less developed countries' needs, are some of the key themes in this book. Blume also discusses the redefinition of health risks and diseases, influencing vaccination policies and public perceptions. The book delves into the historical and evolving nature of resistance to vaccination, ultimately arguing that vaccine hesitancy is deeply rooted in both the commercial and public health significance of vaccines.

The Ojai California Earthquake of 20 August 2023: Earthquake Early Warning Performance and Alert Recipient Response in the Mw 5.1 Event

Abstract A magnitude 5.1 earthquake in California rarely generates more than momentary notice—a headline in local newspapers and a mention with footage on the evening news—then fades into obscurity for most people. But this earthquake, which occurred near the city of Ojai, is important for seismologists, social scientists, emergency managers, policymakers, and others who are engaged in implementing and improving earthquake early warning (EEW) technology and in assessing its value in public warnings. In this earthquake, ShakeAlert, the EEW system for the West Coast of the United States operated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), was publicly activated and, for the first time, a substantial number of those who received alerts provided feedback on various aspects of the alerts they received. To capture data related to public attitudes and assessments regarding this and future alerts, a supplemental questionnaire was developed and associated with the “Did You Feel It?” (DYFI) earthquake reporting system, also operated by the USGS. The DYFI system received over 14,000 felt reports; 2490 of these were by people who received or expected to receive an alert before the onset of earthquake motion at their locations. This article analyzes the aggregate results of these EEW user reports, touching on the respondent’s situation upon receiving the alert, characteristics of the alert received, and, perhaps, most importantly, how the alert recipient responded if received before feeling earthquake motion. The new DYFI EEW supplemental questionnaire also inquired about respondent views of alert usefulness and preferences in future alerts. Our report provides a first glimpse of a range of behaviors, attitudes, and assessments by users of the recently implemented EEW system for the U.S. West Coast.

Deciphering Discord: How Conflicting Information and Political Ideology Shape Public Attitude Toward PFAS Regulation

Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) contamination is an emerging environmental and health risk facing the world. This study examines the impact of conflicting information on Americans’ attitude toward PFAS regulation and intention to engage in mitigation behaviors through a one-way, between-subjects experiment. Participants were 1,062 U.S. adults recruited from CloudResearch. Results showed that compared to participants exposed to consistent information, those exposed to conflicting information displayed less favorable attitude toward existing regulation, which led to lower intention to support related policies and to engage in mitigation behaviors. Political ideology moderated these relationships, with stronger experimental effects among conservatives. These findings underscore the importance of conveying consistent risk messages, especially when multiple stakeholders are involved.

Home range and habitat selection of wolves recolonising central European human‐dominated landscapes

Decades of persecution has resulted in the long‐term absence of grey wolves Canis lupus from most European countries. However, recent changes in both legislation and public attitudes toward wolves has eased the pressure, allowing wolves to rapidly re‐establish territories in their previous central European habitats over the last 20 years. Unfortunately, these habitats are now heavily altered by humans. Understanding the spatial ecology of wolves in such highly modified environments is crucial, given the high potential for conflict and the need to reconcile their return with multiple human concerns. We equipped 20 wolves, originating from seven packs in six central European regions, with GPS collars, allowing us to calculate monthly average home range sizes for 14 of the animals of 213.3 km2 using autocorrelated kernel density estimation. We then used ESA WorldCover data to assess the mosaic of available habitats used within each home range. Our data confirmed a general seasonal pattern for breeding individuals, with smaller apparent home ranges during the reproduction phase, and no specific pattern for non‐breeders. Predictably, our wolves showed a general preference for remote areas, and especially forests, though some wolves within military training areas also showed a broader preference for grassland, possibly influenced by local land use and high availability of prey. Our results provide a comprehensive insight into the ecology of wolves during their re‐colonisation of central Europe. Though wolves are spreading relatively quickly across central European landscapes, their permanent reoccupation remains uncertain due to conflicts with the human population. To secure the restoration of European wolf populations, further robust biological data, including data on spatial ecology, will be needed to clearly identify any management implications.

Framing the Yanomami: decolonial analysis of U.S coverage of Indigenous people in Brazil during COVID-19

ABSTRACT Mainstream news coverage in the U.S. of Indigenous people and the issues that threaten their survival has largely validated misconceptions rooted in colonial views and discourses dependent on harmful stereotypes. This study employs a qualitative thematic analysis of 32 articles from the New York Times and the Associated Press using a decolonial lens to investigate how U.S. news outlets framed the Yanomami people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings focus on four main frames that we identified among the news stories: (1) victimization and vulnerability, (2) illegal mining and policing, (3) environmental impact, and (4) Indigenous sovereignty. We discuss how these frames reinforce the colonial gaze, which continue to shape public knowledge, attitudes, and policymaking about Indigenous people globally, and how these findings contribute to theorizing about the role of media in Indigenous political representation.

Public awareness, knowledge, and attitude regarding proper disposal of unused medicines and associated factors in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia.

Proper disposal of unwanted medicines, in addition to reducing wastage, has a positive impact on the environment and public health. Improper disposal of medications increases the risk of accidental poisonings, particularly among children. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes, and awareness regarding the proper disposal of unused medicines in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia. From 30 July to 30 August 2023, a community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among the public in Gondar city. The data were gathered using the Kobo toolbox, exported into an Excel sheet, and then analyzed using SPSS version 27. Multivariate and bivariate binary logistic regressions were performed. A p-value of 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to determine statistical significance. From 786 study participants, the overall knowledge and attitude of the community toward the proper disposal of unused medicines were 42.6 and 42.9%, respectively. Factors identified in this study included ages between 19 and 25 [AOR = 6.91, 95% CI: (3.45, 13.84); education level: secondary [AOR = 11.82, 95% CI: (1.01, 3.29)] and college and above [AOR = 5.68, 95% CI: (2.25, 14.30)]; prior information [AOR = 6.41; 95% CI: (4.02, 10.22)]; and good attitudes [AOR = 2.11; 95% CI: (1.47, 3.02)]] as factors associated with good knowledge toward proper disposal of unused medicines. In addition, receiving information [AOR = 1.86 95% CI: (1.22, 2.86)], taking medication in the past 6 months [AOR = 1.61, 95% CI: (1.09, 2.38)], and being knowledgeable [AOR = 2.07 95% CI: (1.46, 2.94)] were factors contributing to positive attitudes toward the disposal of unused medicines among the general public. Furthermore, approximately 369 participants (46.9%) in our study lacked awareness about the harmful effects of disposing of unused medicine in regular waste. A relatively low level of knowledge and attitudes about the proper disposal of unused medications is present in the community. In this regard, a well-coordinated and methodical public awareness campaign is recommended to disseminate information and promote the appropriate disposal of unused medications.

Public attention and psychological trends towards waste reduction: A large-scale data analysis based on social media

In the digital era, using social media big data to capture the true views and psychological trends shown by the public regarding waste reduction could considerably improve the formulation of targeted waste reduction policies and guide residents to participate in environmental governance from the source side. This study used big data mining technology to trawl 617,771 pieces of waste reduction text from a typical social media site (Sina Microblog). A machine learning algorithm model was used to identify the psychological and cognitive focus of the public and their preferences based on large-scale text data. The temporal and spatial differences in public attention trends, hot topic trends, and sentiment trends were also investigated. The results showed that the public attention level was related to the release of policies by government and that public attention in the southeast coastal areas was higher than that in the northwest inland areas. Moreover, waste reduction had a “working attribute” because the public paid more attention to waste reduction during working hours (i.e., 9:00–12:00 and 15:00–18:00) than during leisure hours. In terms of individual heterogeneity, males were initiators of the topic, whereas females were followers. In particular, participation by young people in waste reduction discussions was higher than for other groups. The topic analysis showed that public attention followed a cooperative construction pattern that had multiple entities, including the individual, community, and government. Overall, the public sentiment score towards waste reduction increased year by year during the study period, with positive sentiment posts accounting for over 70% of the total number of blog posts, and that the vast majority of residents had a positive attitude towards waste reduction. This study expanded current research knowledge by exploring the public attitude response to waste reduction from a social media perspective. The study will help the government to effectively intervene in public behavior tendencies toward waste reduction from the psychological perspective and provided important implications about how the government can enhance its use of social media to effectively guide public opinion and improve policies.

Survey of public knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding personal protection against COVID-19 in the post-pandemic era.

In the emerging post-pandemic era (the 'wavelet' era), humans must coexist with viruses for the foreseeable future, and personal protective behaviors will largely replace national-level preventive measures. In this new normal, encouraging the public to implement proper personal protective behaviors against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is vital to the sustainable development of cities and communities. This knowledge-attitude-practice (KAP) survey conducted in Chengdu (N = 900) narrowed the knowledge gap regarding post-pandemic public practices of protective behavior. Findings show that:(1) approximately 1/3 of the respondents are currently not concerned about COVID-19 at all; (2) respondents with different demographics and individual COVID-19-related factors showed significant differences in practice behaviors indoors and outdoors; (3) vulnerable groups performed better in practice behavior indoors/outdoors; (4) because the public may relax their vigilance outdoors, public places may become a transmission threat in the next outbreak; (5) attitudes are important, but limited incentives for practice; and (6) when knowledge increases beyond a threshold (68.75-75% in this study), protective behaviors decrease. Our results suggest that authorities must continue to educate and motivate the public, extending measures to cover personal protective practices, and have targeted policies for specific demographics to ensure equity in healthcare in the event of another pandemic (COVID-19 and alike crisis). Besides, comparing the results of the current study with similar studies conducted in other parts of the world can provide insights into how different populations respond to and adopt COVID-19 protective behaviors. The epidemiologists can use the data collected by this and other KAP surveys to refine epidemiologic models, which can help predict the spread of the virus and the impact of interventions in different settings.

Knowledge of genetics and attitudes toward genetic testing among university students in Indonesia.

The development in human genetics must be tracked with the knowledge to provide support and positive attitudes towards genetic research and its healthcare applications, including genetic testing. Unfortunately, there has been a delay in enacting public policies related to the genetics professionals as well as the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of genetic diseases in Indonesia. This research was conducted to build an overview of genetic knowledge and public attitudes toward genetic testing among Indonesian undergraduates. This cross-sectional study involved undergraduate students selected using the convenience sampling method. The questionnaire consisted of two parts: a true/false questionnaire (16 statements) regarding knowledge of genetics and a 5-points Likert scale questionnaire (27 statements) pertaining to attitudes towards genetic testing. A total of 1596 undergraduate students completed online questionnaire. The highest knowledge score and the most positive overall attitudes were observed in the healthcare-related majors compared to those who studied science and technology and social and humanity. A weak positive correlation was observed between knowledge and attitude toward genetic testing (Pearson's r = 0.206, p < 0.001). Undergraduate students from healthcare-related majors displayed better in both knowledge of genetics and had more positive attitudes toward genetic testing.

Tweeting on thin ice: Scientists in dialogic climate change communication with the public

This study examines the dynamics of interactions between climate scientists and the public on Twitter, utilizing a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. It explores scientists' tweets, public responses, and the factors influencing the "two-way" interactions and engagement with climate change issues. The findings indicate that scientists' personal disclosures and discussions of their professional lives significantly influence public engagement, particularly resonating with fellow scientists. Conversely, professional accomplishments often elicit more skeptical or critical responses from the public, highlighting the need for contextually relevant communication for lay audiences. Additionally, the study emphasizes the role of visual content, such as images and videos, in enhancing the accessibility and appeal of scientific information on social media. Furthermore, the current study uncovers a spectrum of public attitudes towards climate change, ranging from support to skepticism. It underscores the importance of acknowledging these diverse perspectives in climate communication. The use of humor and references to popular culture in public responses suggests an engaging and relatable approach to the topic. Ultimately, the study concludes that effective science communication on social media necessitates a nuanced understanding of audience perceptions, strategic utilization of visual elements, and a focus on fostering dialogic and participatory conversations, as argued by the public engagement with science (PES) model. This approach not only enhances public engagement with scientific content but also promotes broader civic awareness and participation in scientific dialogues about climate change, especially on social media platforms like Twitter.

Mekanisme Dampak Pemanasan Global Oleh Gas Rumah Kaca

The article titled "Mechanism of the Effects of Global Warming by Greenhouse Gases" explores the impact of greenhouse gases on global warming. It emphasizes the role of human activities in climate change and the need to reduce anthropogenic CO2 emissions to mitigate its effects. The study adopts qualitative research methods, collecting data through observation, questionnaires, and interviews. The questionnaire assesses public awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards global warming and greenhouse gases. Findings reveal inadequate attention and limited application of knowledge in daily lives, with excessive use of fossil fuels and private vehicles contributing to the deterioration of the atmosphere. Global warming, caused by human activities and greenhouse gas emissions like methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide, poses significant environmental challenges, affecting temperature rise and climate patterns. While global warming can have some positive impacts on agricultural productivity and biodiversity in colder regions, the overall negative impacts outweigh the positive ones. The article underscores the importance of understanding greenhouse gas dynamics and calls for collective action to address the issue.

Divergence in Chinese Sexual Attitudes: An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis.

A crucial component of comprehending societal change is understanding how sexual attitudes have evolved over time. The substantial and typical changes in China have created an ideal quasi-experimental design and a wealth of empirical data for tracking the evolution of sexual attitudes. However, existing research has failed to adequately analyze the temporal trends in Chinese sexual attitudes. This study employed an age-period-cohort framework to investigate changes in public sexual attitudes, including premarital sex, extramarital sex, and homosexuality. And it further delved into these attitudes in light of two unique aspects of Chinese society: urban-rural divide and political status. It explored the contributing elements and potential processes of changing public sexual attitudes in China using data from seven waves of national social survey conducted from 2010 to 2021. The findings indicated that public sexual attitudes became more conservative with age; the period effect exhibited a fluctuating upward trend, indicating a general increase in acceptance of the three sexual attitudes; notable differences in sexual attitudes among cohorts were identified. The divergence in sexual attitudes was significantly influenced by urban-rural divide and political status.

COMBATTING SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN KOSOVO: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES AND LOCAL SOLUTIONS

Background: Addressing sexual violence is a pressing social issue that requires comprehensive action and attention. In Kosovo, sexual assault remains a significant concern, necessitating a multidimensional approach to combat this pervasive problem. This paper delves into various facets of sexual assault in Kosovo, exploring its historical context, cultural factors, legal framework, and societal attitudes. Methods: The paper synthesises information from diverse sources, including empirical data from a survey conducted in Gjilan city in 2022, which engaged 675 participants. Statistical analysis techniques were employed to analyse the survey findings and draw meaningful conclusions regarding public perceptions, attitudes, and responses to sexual violence. Results and Conclusions: The findings underscore the urgency of addressing sexual violence in Kosovo through legal reforms, public awareness campaigns, support services for survivors, educational initiatives, and collaborative efforts among stakeholders. Recommendations are provided to strengthen the legal framework, enhance support services, promote awareness, and foster cooperation among governmental, non-governmental, and community organisations. Implementing these recommendations can contribute to creating a society free from sexual violence and prioritising the safety, well-being, and empowerment of survivors. By addressing sexual violence comprehensively, Kosovo can promote social cohesion, gender equality, justice, and economic development while also enhancing its international reputation and cooperation amidst European integration processes and post-war recovery efforts.

Framing Policy Reform in Europe. A Comparative Study of Frame Variation Across Countries, Newspapers, and Time

ABSTRACT Politicians must navigate the complexities of social policy reform to ensure sustainable fiscal policies while considering their impact on citizens. News media play a crucial role as a source of political information, influencing public attitudes towards policy changes through selective framing of issues. This study focuses on how European news media frame the controversial policy reform of raising the retirement age, and explores factors that potentially explain variations in framing across contexts. Using a manual content analysis of newspapers in Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom over the period 2011–2020 (n = 1059 articles), we examine country-, newspaper-, and time-related factors to explain the relative presence of issue-specific diagnostic and prognostic frames in European news coverage of pension reform. While the results show that all three types of factors determine the coverage of the reform measure to some extent, in particular variations across newspapers and over time are prevalent. The most striking differences are that left-leaning newspapers emphasize frames related to inequality, and that over time, framing crystallizes into a more concentrated set of diagnostic and prognostic frames. This article sheds light on European news coverage of a much-debated policy issue and its contextual dependency.

Effects of a coup attempt on public attitudes under autocracy: quasi-experimental evidence from Russia

ABSTRACT Elite schisms are known to destabilize autocracies, but there is little scholarship that examines how such splits affect regime support or perceptions of regime stability. We utilize a unique survey that was in the field during a June 2023 coup attempt in Russia to examine this question. By comparing the responses of respondents interviewed before the coup with those interviewed after the coup, we estimate the effect of the coup on a number of attitudes. We find that the coup had no effect on regime support and only a limited (negative) effect on perceptions of regime stability. By contrast, we find that the coup caused a precipitous drop in support for the coup’s leader and that this effect is larger among those who watch state television. The findings suggest that the regime used its control of the information space to swiftly demonize the coup leader and avoid public fallout.