Strategic Design and Unintended Consequences of Marine Health Communication Campaigns

• In Event: Changing the Climate for Communicating About Marine Health

Abstract

Marine health environmental communication efforts require more substantive strategies than simple monologic designs relied upon in former decades. Responding effectively to the challenges posed by marine health challenges demands a transdisciplinary convergence of social and environmental science perspectives to formulate innovative, theory-based communication models and assessment techniques as part of a broad communication strategy. The strategy proposed here involves five stages, each with subcomponents, along with formative, process, and summative evaluation, each providing learning for subsequent efforts. However, strategies intending to communicate ocean health risks may result in unintended consequences and even boomerang effects, especially when targeting populations of low ocean literacy. Potential effects will be described, predictions will be offered to identify conditions under which such effects will likely arise, and strategies to mitigate such effects will be offered.

Authors

• Ronald E. Rice, U of California - Santa Barbara

• Sahara Byrne, Cornell U

• Sol Hart, University of Michigan