Risk communication about low dose radiation: Citizens' activity and their attitude

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24700920
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sociology/History of science and technology
• Research Institution: Tohoku Gakuin University (2013-2014); 大学共同利用機関法人情報・システム研究機構(新領域融合研究センター及びライフサイ (2012)
• Principal Investigator: SUZUKI Tsutomu 東北学院大学, 教養学部, 准教授 (00595291)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 放射線 / 不安 / 福島第一原子力発電所事故 / SNS / リスクコミュニケーション / ネットワーク分析 / 意識調査 / 科学的知識

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, I visualized people's communications on an SNS concerning the risks of radioactive pollution stemming from the Fukushima Daiichi power plant accident. The data consisted of the communication log from a regional SNS that was founded by the residents of Iwaki City after the accident. A member who had a scientific background occupied a leadership position in a particular cluster but did not play a role in mediation. This suggests that a sympathetic attitude is more important than scientific knowledge for risk communication among ordinary citizens.
I also conducted two web researches in order to analyze the relationship among anxiety and other variables. As a result people's interest in social problems didn't have a significant effect on anxiety. However, activeness of information gathering and risk perceptions had a positive effect. It was also suggested that scientific knowledge of radiation reduces anxiety, but the effects weren't constant.

Free Research Field

社会学