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Can Communication Theory Advance Research When Environmental Issues Become Wicked? The Case of Microplastics
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This commentary argues that microplastic pollution is a 'wicked' environmental problem — one that is highly complex, contested, and resistant to simple solutions — and that social science, communication research, and media studies have an important role to play in understanding how publics perceive and respond to the issue. Better communication research could help close the gap between scientific findings on microplastic risks and public and policy action.
This commentary reviews current empirical trends focusing on microplastics in the social sciences and discusses how science communication and media research can make meaningful contributions to advancing scientific contributions on social constructions of microplastic pollution. We present our case by defining microplastics as a “wicked” environmental issue, characterized by complexity in many ways. Reviewing scientific literature on microplastics in the social sphere, we reflect on how communication and media studies can contribute relevant insights to advance the empirical knowledge base on microplastic pollution as well as strengthen the theoretical and methodological rigor in these scientific endeavors.
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Researchers examined the gap between scientific knowledge of microplastic pollution and public awareness, calling for improved science communication strategies. The study found that despite an enormous body of research documenting microplastics in soil, water, air, and organisms, effective translation of these findings into public understanding and policy action remains inadequate.
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This paper examines how microplastic pollution has been framed in media reporting and how the public understands the issue, finding that culturally embedded ideas about risk and health shape people's responses. Understanding media framing and public perception is important for designing effective communication strategies around microplastic contamination.
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This literature review synthesized global studies on public awareness of microplastic pollution, finding that while scientific knowledge has expanded significantly, public understanding and behavioral change remain limited. The study identified effective communication strategies and policy approaches to bridge the gap between scientific evidence and public action.
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This study assessed public risk perception toward microplastics, finding that while awareness of plastic environmental contamination is growing, consumer behavior change remains limited. Understanding how people perceive microplastic risks is essential for designing effective communication strategies and policies to reduce plastic consumption and pollution.
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This paper outlines how social and behavioral science research methods — including surveys, interviews, and behavioral experiments — can be applied to understand human dimensions of the microplastic pollution problem. Addressing plastic pollution requires not just environmental science but also understanding why people produce, use, and dispose of plastics as they do.
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