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How to make people 'love' nuclear power
How to make people 'love' nuclear power
A poll on whether a new nuclear power station should be built at Hinkley Point provides a masterclass in manipulation
.... I quite like nuclear power stations, not just because they're clever, or even because I regretfully concede they might be one of our least bad options for power. I secretly like nuclear power stations because they remind me, in the way nostalgia makes us pine for things we disliked at the time, of a childhood in the early 1980s when I believed that I would die in a nuclear holocaust.
Which leads me on to the energy company EDF, which last month conducted a poll on whether people near Hinkley Point nuclear power station would like it to be expanded. The BBC dutifully reported the results. "EDF survey shows support for Hinkley power station," ran the headline. "Six in 10 people support a new power station at Hinkley." Polls like this convince locals, and politicians.
But Leo Barasi at the blog ClimateSock has diligently obtained the original polling questions from ICM, and what he has found is a masterclass in how to manipulate answers to a single question.
Respondents are set into the frame with a simple starter: "How favourable or unfavourable is your opinion of the nuclear energy industry?" Then things heat up. "To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: nuclear energy has disadvantages but the country needs nuclear power as part of the energy balance with coal, gas and wind power." As Leo says, this is structured in a way that makes it harder to disagree. "It appear reasoned: taking on board the downsides of nuclear before drawing a measured conclusion that it's a necessary evil to produce a greater good." As a result, only 13% disagree, but the whole audience is gently nudged.
Then locals are asked a whole series of branching questions...
A poll on whether a new nuclear power station should be built at Hinkley Point provides a masterclass in manipulation
.... I quite like nuclear power stations, not just because they're clever, or even because I regretfully concede they might be one of our least bad options for power. I secretly like nuclear power stations because they remind me, in the way nostalgia makes us pine for things we disliked at the time, of a childhood in the early 1980s when I believed that I would die in a nuclear holocaust.
Which leads me on to the energy company EDF, which last month conducted a poll on whether people near Hinkley Point nuclear power station would like it to be expanded. The BBC dutifully reported the results. "EDF survey shows support for Hinkley power station," ran the headline. "Six in 10 people support a new power station at Hinkley." Polls like this convince locals, and politicians.
But Leo Barasi at the blog ClimateSock has diligently obtained the original polling questions from ICM, and what he has found is a masterclass in how to manipulate answers to a single question.
Respondents are set into the frame with a simple starter: "How favourable or unfavourable is your opinion of the nuclear energy industry?" Then things heat up. "To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: nuclear energy has disadvantages but the country needs nuclear power as part of the energy balance with coal, gas and wind power." As Leo says, this is structured in a way that makes it harder to disagree. "It appear reasoned: taking on board the downsides of nuclear before drawing a measured conclusion that it's a necessary evil to produce a greater good." As a result, only 13% disagree, but the whole audience is gently nudged.
Then locals are asked a whole series of branching questions...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/nov/20/ben-goldacre-bad-science-nuclear?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487
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