Article Review

Student’s Name

Instructor’s Name

Course

Date

Article Review

The article ‘Economic Losses or Environmental Gains? Framing Effects on Public Support for Environmental Management’ assesses the challenges environmental managers face while implementing public environmental projects. The research is based on the contemporary need for active management of ecosystem services for increased public benefit. Despite the high demand, project managers face challenges in how they communicate with the public concerning the projects to draw support. The assertion is that environmental projects/policies lack public opinion, which maintains a constant state of public skepticism concerning government interventions to safeguard the environment.

In the framing of invasive species management, the researchers structure five hypotheses for testing. The first hypothesis asserts that people will become more supportive when the environmental project is framed to have ecological benefits as opposed to economic gains. The second hypothesis states that ecological frames will draw more support from liberals compared to economic frames. The third asserts that economic frames will draw more support from conservatives compared to ecological frames. The fourth hypothesis states that ecological frames will draw more support from environmentalists compared to economic frames. Lastly, the fifth hypothesis argues that economic frames will draw more support from non-environmentalists compared to ecological frames.

The research employs a quantitative approach. Online quota sampling was done to select and verify participants. Using video interviews, the demographic information, political affiliations and preferences of the participants was measured using weighted scales. Subsequently, descriptive statistics was employed to measure the strength of support and opposition to invasive species management. Heterogeneous treatments were done to correlate environmental values and party identification.

According to the findings of the research, many people support invasive species management. Across all demographics, ecological and economic frames had positive implications for support of the environmental project. Ecological frames had the greatest influence on public support. From the study, economic frames have no significance when it comes to sourcing public support for environmental projects. However, public concern for animal welfare presents the best opportunity to integrate the invasive management program. The research outcomes find that people are more responsive to messages that purport the prevention of further losses as opposed to comparable gains. The finding applies to all classes of people including non-environmentalists and conservatives. As per the findings, the most effective model is the ecological loss frame.

The research article provides novel insight concerning how the public respond to environmental projects. The study justifies the application of loss aversion messages on public goods to foster more public engagement. The assertion is that the bigger the impact in a loss message, the greater the probability of the public increasing their support for environmental projects. Therefore, researchers that seek to protect native species need to inform the public of the ecological impact to influence their willingness to back novel policy solutions. More important is the finding that there is no underlying political rhetoric in the polarization of environmental discussions.

The article provides a detailed analysis of what environmental marketers need to do to draw in more public support. Specifically, the research informs on what they should say in environmental messages. The article is simple in structure with the inclusion of most major research sections. The authors borrow from previous studies and ground their research on the prospect theory. The organization and the theoretical basis increase the understandability and applicability of the article. From personal experience, people tend to be more responsive to negative messages. This aspect of human nature can be employed to increase public support for environmental initiatives that protect and manage natural resources and organisms.