My research interests are in the intersection of a set of theoretical and methodological social science issues. The theoretical puzzles in social valuation generally, and the translation of social valuation into technological and environmental choice, are of substantial and continuing interest. As a necessary component of environmental and scientific policy decision making, I have also focused extensively on theories of risk perception. The empirical underpinnings of both valuation and risk perception research are grounded in applied survey research methodologies. The specific topics of research interest include: environmental politics and policy; science and technology policy; contingent valuation methodology; policy analysis; cost benefit analysis; risk analysis and assessment; and gender and risk perception.
Science and Technology Policy
The Precautionary Principle in Context: US and EU Scientists’ Prescriptions for Policy in the Face of Uncertainty (with Hank C. Jenkins-Smith), Social Science Quarterly (2007)
Objective. Our objective is to explain how scientists interpret less-than-certain scientific findings to inform policymakers’...
American Politics
Micro and Macro Level Explanations of the Presidential Expectations Gap (with Hank C. Jenkins-Smith and Richard Waterman), Journal of Politics (2005)
The idea that the public expects more from its presidents than they are able to...