Information behaviors at the edge of reason: The role of uncertainty, science, and culture on environmental policy

Abstract

We all expect government agencies to use high quality evidence when creating public policy; however, in a democratic society, cultural values also play a role. For example Europe and America have different policies with respect to genetically modified foods and nuclear energy. Our goal is to explore information behaviors that surround the process of transforming scientific evidence into public policy in order to uncover where (and how) cultural values might be embedded. We analyzed more than a thousand citations from three scientific reviews that were conducted by scientists based in the EU and US on di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a plastic softener that is controversial because of potential impacts for industry and public health. Our analysis suggests that culture may influence public policy by establishing the initial scope of a review, by determining which evidence should be included, and by framing how evidence is presented.