Elite Opinion and Media Diffusion

Abstract

The existing literature on environmental attitudes is dominated by two theoretical frameworks: cultural and rational choice explanations. This article proposes and examines two additional explanatory models: elite opinion leadership and media diffusion explanations. Compared to the dominant models, the two hypotheses introduced in this article have received little attention in the literature. Using the 1989 Harris survey, this article seeks to explore whether and how well public environmental attitudes are determined by elite opinion leadership and media diffusion in a cross-national context. The results of multiple regressions at both aggregate and individual levels demonstrate strong and significant direct elite influence on public environmental attitudes but challenge the direct media effect views in recent public opinion research.