Scheda di dettaglio – i prodotti della ricerca
| Dato | Valore |
|---|---|
| Title | Media framing of spiders may exacerbate arachnophobic sentiments |
| Abstract | Spiders are able to arouse strong emotional reactions in humans. While spider bites are statistically rare events, our perception is skewed towards the potential harm spiders can cause to humans. Nevertheless, there is still limited understanding of the role of the media in spreading (mis)information about them thereby promoting this distorted perception of risk. We examined the human dimension of spiders through the lens of traditional media, by analysing spider-related news published online in Italian newspapers between 2010 and 2020 (n = 314). We assessed the accuracy, circulation and sensationalistic content of each article, and assessed how each of these features drove news' share on social media. We observed a recent, exponential increase in the frequency of the news, particularly those focused on medically important spiders--the Mediterranean black widow Latrodectus tredecimguttatus and the Mediterranean recluse Loxosceles rufescens. The news quality was generally poor: 70% contained different types of error, 32% were sensationalistic, and in virtually none was an expert consulted. The risk scenario depicted by the media reports was unnecessarily alarmist, especially with regard to L. rufescens. A conservative estimate would suggest that less than 10% of the bites reported in the media reports analysed here were delivered by the species described in the report. Moreover, two out of three casualties associated with a bite of the Mediterranean recluse were fake news, while the third was unverifiable. Overstated news referring to spider bites was shared significantly more on social media, thus contributing to frame a distorted perception of the risk. This is important given that these negative sentiments may ultimately lead to lowering public tolerance towards spiders and reducing conservation efforts towards them. We discuss open questions and avenues for future research concerning the media coverage of widely feared animals, that will help bridge knowledge gaps regarding the role of traditional and social media in framing our perception of the natural world. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. |
| Source | People & nature 2 (4), pp. 1145–1157 |
| Keywords | arachnophobiaemotional contagionenvenomationfacebookfake newslatrodectismloxoscelismmass mediamediterranean black widowsrecluse spiderssocial mediaspider bite |
| Journal | People & nature |
| Editor | J.D. Bacallan., Quezon City, Filippine |
| Year | 2020 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1002/pan3.10143 |
| Authors | Mammola, Stefano; Nanni, Veronica; Pantini, Paolo; Isaia, Marco |
| Text | 456044 2020 10.1002/pan3.10143 Scopus 2 s2.0 85098082326 arachnophobia emotional contagion envenomation facebook fake news latrodectism loxoscelism mass media mediterranean black widows recluse spiders social media spider bite Media framing of spiders may exacerbate arachnophobic sentiments Mammola, Stefano; Nanni, Veronica; Pantini, Paolo; Isaia, Marco Universita degli Studi di Genova; Luonnontieteellinen Keskusmuseo; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; Universita degli Studi di Torino; Museo Civico di Scienze Naturali E. Caffi di Bergamo Spiders are able to arouse strong emotional reactions in humans. While spider bites are statistically rare events, our perception is skewed towards the potential harm spiders can cause to humans. Nevertheless, there is still limited understanding of the role of the media in spreading mis information about them thereby promoting this distorted perception of risk. We examined the human dimension of spiders through the lens of traditional media, by analysing spider related news published online in Italian newspapers between 2010 and 2020 n = 314 . We assessed the accuracy, circulation and sensationalistic content of each article, and assessed how each of these features drove news share on social media. We observed a recent, exponential increase in the frequency of the news, particularly those focused on medically important spiders the Mediterranean black widow Latrodectus tredecimguttatus and the Mediterranean recluse Loxosceles rufescens. The news quality was generally poor 70% contained different types of error, 32% were sensationalistic, and in virtually none was an expert consulted. The risk scenario depicted by the media reports was unnecessarily alarmist, especially with regard to L. rufescens. A conservative estimate would suggest that less than 10% of the bites reported in the media reports analysed here were delivered by the species described in the report. Moreover, two out of three casualties associated with a bite of the Mediterranean recluse were fake news, while the third was unverifiable. Overstated news referring to spider bites was shared significantly more on social media, thus contributing to frame a distorted perception of the risk. This is important given that these negative sentiments may ultimately lead to lowering public tolerance towards spiders and reducing conservation efforts towards them. We discuss open questions and avenues for future research concerning the media coverage of widely feared animals, that will help bridge knowledge gaps regarding the role of traditional and social media in framing our perception of the natural world. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. 2 Published version http //www.scopus.com/record/display.url eid=2 s2.0 85098082326 origin=inward Published version 2020_MAMMOLA ET AL Pan.pdf Articolo in rivista J.D. Bacallan. 0117 7672 People nature People nature People nat. People and nature stefano.mammola MAMMOLA STEFANO |