Public perspectives of nuclear weapons in the post-cold war environment
Abstract
This report summarizes the findings of a nationwide survey of public perceptions of nuclear weapons in the post-cold war environment. Participants included 1,301 members of the general public, 1,155 randomly selected members of the Union of Concerned Scientists, and 1,226 employees randomly selected from the technical staffs of four DOE national laboratories. A majority of respondents from all three samples perceived the post-cold war security environment to pose increased likelihood of nuclear war, nuclear proliferation, and nuclear terrorism. Public perceptions of nuclear weapons threats, risks, utilities, and benefits were found to systematically affect nuclear weapons policy preferences in predictable ways. Highly significant relationships were also found between public trust and nuclear weapons policy preferences. As public trust and official government information about nuclear weapons increased, perceptions of nuclear weapons management risks decreased and perceptions of nuclear weapons utilities and benefits increased. A majority of respondents favored decreasing funding for: (1) developing and testing new nuclear weapons; (2) maintaining existing nuclear weapons, and (3) maintaining the ability to develop and improve nuclear weapons. Substantial support was found among all three groups for increasing funding for: (1) enhancing nuclear weapons safety; (2) training nuclear weapons personnel; (3) preventing nuclear proliferation; and (4)more »
- Authors:
-
- Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Institute for Public Policy
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States). School of Public Policy
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 10165516
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-94-1265
ON: DE94015167; TRN: 94:007313
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Technical Report
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Apr 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; 29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; NUCLEAR WEAPONS; PROLIFERATION; SAFETY; PUBLIC OPINION; SECURITY; 350200; 290600; NUCLEAR ENERGY
Citation Formats
Jenkins-Smith, H.C., Herron, K.G., and Barke, R.P.. Public perspectives of nuclear weapons in the post-cold war environment. United States: N. p., 1994.
Web. doi:10.2172/10165516.
Jenkins-Smith, H.C., Herron, K.G., & Barke, R.P.. Public perspectives of nuclear weapons in the post-cold war environment. United States. doi:10.2172/10165516.
Jenkins-Smith, H.C., Herron, K.G., and Barke, R.P.. Fri .
"Public perspectives of nuclear weapons in the post-cold war environment". United States.
doi:10.2172/10165516. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10165516.
@article{osti_10165516,
title = {Public perspectives of nuclear weapons in the post-cold war environment},
author = {Jenkins-Smith, H.C. and Herron, K.G. and Barke, R.P.},
abstractNote = {This report summarizes the findings of a nationwide survey of public perceptions of nuclear weapons in the post-cold war environment. Participants included 1,301 members of the general public, 1,155 randomly selected members of the Union of Concerned Scientists, and 1,226 employees randomly selected from the technical staffs of four DOE national laboratories. A majority of respondents from all three samples perceived the post-cold war security environment to pose increased likelihood of nuclear war, nuclear proliferation, and nuclear terrorism. Public perceptions of nuclear weapons threats, risks, utilities, and benefits were found to systematically affect nuclear weapons policy preferences in predictable ways. Highly significant relationships were also found between public trust and nuclear weapons policy preferences. As public trust and official government information about nuclear weapons increased, perceptions of nuclear weapons management risks decreased and perceptions of nuclear weapons utilities and benefits increased. A majority of respondents favored decreasing funding for: (1) developing and testing new nuclear weapons; (2) maintaining existing nuclear weapons, and (3) maintaining the ability to develop and improve nuclear weapons. Substantial support was found among all three groups for increasing funding for: (1) enhancing nuclear weapons safety; (2) training nuclear weapons personnel; (3) preventing nuclear proliferation; and (4) preventing nuclear terrorism. Most respondents considered nuclear weapons to be a persistent feature of the post-cold war security environment.},
doi = {10.2172/10165516},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1994},
month = {Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1994}
}
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