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Affects in Online Stakeholder Engagement: A Dissensus Perspective
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This study challenges the assumption that online stakeholder engagement produces rational consensus, arguing instead that conflict and emotional 'affects' are fundamental drivers of discourse around corporate responsibility for plastic pollution.
A predominant assumption in studies of deliberative democracy is that stakeholder engagements will lead to rational consensus and to a common discourse on corporate social and environmental responsibilities. Challenging this assumption, we show that conflict is ineradicable and important and that affects constitute the dynamics of change of the discourses of responsibilities. On the basis of an analysis of social media engagements in the context of the grand challenge of plastic pollution, we argue that civil society actors use mobilization strategies with their peers and inclusive-dissensus strategies with corporations to convert them to a new discourse. These strategies use moral affects to blame and shame corporations and solidarity affects to create feelings of identification with the group and to avoid disengagement and polarization. Our research contributes to the literature on deliberative democracy and stakeholder engagement in social media in the collective constructions of discourses on grand challenges.
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Communication Determinants of Environmental Behavior in the Context of Microplastics : An Examination of Cultural Cognition Types, Risk Perception, Psychological Distance, and Negative Emotions
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A survey of 1,000 Korean adults found that hierarchical cultural cognition influenced pro-environmental behavior toward microplastics through risk perception, psychological distance, and negative emotions, while individualist cognition operated only through negative emotions. These findings show that culturally tailored communication strategies — not one-size-fits-all messaging — are needed to translate public awareness of microplastic risks into actual behavior change.
From analytical to empathetic: Disruptive communication for action-based decision-making
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Researchers examined how disruptive communication approaches can be shifted from purely analytical to empathetic framing to better drive engagement and action-based decision-making around plastic pollution. The study found that combining emotional resonance with concrete action pathways makes disruptive communication more effective at motivating behavioral and policy change.
From analytical to empathetic: Disruptive communication for action-based decision-making
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This study examined how disruptive communication strategies can more effectively engage diverse audiences around plastic pollution and translate awareness into concrete action and policy decisions. The research found that empathetic framing combined with actionable guidance improves the impact of disruptive communication beyond emotional provocation alone.
From Likes to Lifestyle: Exploring the Gap Between Online Environmental Advocacy and Offline Sustainable Practices
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This review summarizes existing research on why people who support environmental causes online, including issues like plastic pollution and recycling, often do not change their everyday habits. It found that online participation can feel symbolic rather than lead to real action, and suggests communication strategies focused on actual behavior change, not just awareness, may help close this gap.
Global perceptions of plastic pollution: The contours and limits of debate
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This review analyzed 39 peer-reviewed studies on public perceptions of plastic pollution, finding that research discourse is narrowly focused on marine impacts and single-use plastics while largely ignoring broader plastic pollution contexts relevant to international treaty negotiations.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.