Title

Gender, race, and perceived environmental risk: The "white male" effect in cancer alley, La

Authors

Authors

B. K. Marshall

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Sociol. Spectr.

Keywords

NUCLEAR-POWER; SEX-DIFFERENCES; PERCEPTION; ATTITUDES; HAZARDS; ORIENTATIONS; POLLUTION; KNOWLEDGE; SCIENCE; ADDRESS; Sociology

Abstract

Research on risk perceptions are replete with race- and gender-specific hypotheses attempting to account for attitudinal variation. However, race and gender differences may mask more notable patterns across subgroups, patterns that lie at the intersection of race and gender. Recent national studies suggest that being a White male leads to lower risk perceptions and greater willingness to accept risks. This article extends this research by examining the "White male" effect in a chronically polluted context, an area where industrial pollution is palpable and well-documented. Data are drawn from a survey of a population living in "Cancer Alley," a stretch of the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. We find that women more than men and Blacks more than Whites perceive environmental risks as serious. Further, evidence suggests that these differences are mostly due to the relatively extreme perceptions of risk accepting White males and risk adverse Black females. After controlling for select variables in hierarchical multiple regression analyses, being a White male or Black female still has a statistically significant impact on risk perceptions.

Journal Title

Sociological Spectrum

Volume

24

Issue/Number

4

Publication Date

1-1-2004

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

453

Last Page

478

WOS Identifier

WOS:000222385500003

ISSN

0273-2173

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