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Talking Public Health: Developing America’s Second Language

Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Control Summit “Advancing cancer control through policy change” Madison, WI March 29, 2012. Talking Public Health: Developing America’s Second Language. Lawrence Wallack, Dean, College of Urban & Public Affairs Portland State University.

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Talking Public Health: Developing America’s Second Language

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  1. Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Control Summit “Advancing cancer control through policy change” Madison, WI March 29, 2012 Talking Public Health: Developing America’s Second Language Lawrence Wallack, Dean, College of Urban & Public Affairs Portland State University

  2. Thanks to CCPHA for this cartoon

  3. The Environment Matters

  4. Childhood Obesity Narratives

  5. Cancer Narratives

  6. The Odds Metaphor

  7. Some questionable beliefs The facts will set you free. The data speak for themselves. We need to educate everyone. We just need a catchier message/slogan. Those who don’t support us don’t make sense.

  8. John Boehner on Health Care Reform(House Minority Leader on PBS NewsHour 11/5/09) “This bill is the greatest threat to freedom that I have seen in the 19 years I have been here in Washington….It’s going to lead to a government takeover of our health care system, with tens of thousands of new bureaucrats right down the street, making these decisions [choose your doctor, buy your own health insurance] for you.”

  9. YOYOs WITTs Jared Bernstein All Together Now: Common Sense for a Fair Economy

  10. Thinking about upstream If Wisconsin had the lowest possible cancer rates in the world, what would we look like? How would our state be different than it is now and what would need to change? What kinds of policies would be required to achieve this new environment? How much would it cost, and how would these costs be equitably distributed? What kinds of strategies are needed to create the public and political will to create this change?

  11. Frame basics Frames are mental structures that help people understand the world. Frames are shortcuts for people that connect abstract ideas to familiar things (and do so very, very quickly).

  12. QPFSLTV

  13. QPFSLTV

  14. OBESITY, as a cue, what does it mean…?

  15. Snapshot of American Thinking about Government Americans distrust government… and think it’s too big & powerful… and they can’t see it clearly. But, they like what it does… and think it can do more with less… and think taxing others is best.

  16. Lakoff’s Three Levels of Understanding • BIG IDEAS: Expression of overarching values(“Why does this matter to ME/US?”) • ISSUES: What kind of problem is it? • POLICIES: Policy details and tactics Level 1 Our Task: Increase emphasis on Level 1 messages Levels 2,3

  17. Questions We Must Answer • What is the Problem? • Why does it Matter, what is at Stake? • What needs to be Done? • How is Responsibility shared – who needs to do what?

  18. Framing Tension Adapted from Beauchamp, 1976

  19. The importance of metaphors Crime as virus or Crime as beast Does it matter? “Metaphors influence the way we reason about complex issues and forage for further information…. A metaphor (via a single word) can have a powerful influence over how people attempt to solve social problems….” Metaphors We Think With: The role of metaphor in reasoning(Thibodeau and Boroditsky, 2011)

  20. Crime metaphors Beast preying on community Virus infecting community Investigate root causes Treat problem via social reform Inoculate community (especially via eradicating poverty & improving education) • Catch and jail criminals • Enact harsher enforcement laws • “Capture/kill/cage the beast” - Thibodeau and Boroditsky, 2011

  21. Covert Effects of Metaphor • The metaphor provided a structured framework for understanding crime • Persuasive effects of metaphor, however, were not recognized by subjects in either group. • Most “influential” part of crime report was reported to be the statistics • The metaphor had greatest power if presented early in report • Subsequent information was chosen to confirm or elaborate original bias from the metaphor - Thibodeau and Boroditsky, 2011

  22. Some interesting metaphors • Safety net or hammock • Liquid candy or soft drink, pop • Consumer watchdog or nanny state

  23. A few things to remember • Understand the starting point of the discussion is not a blank slate • Be clear about the social justice values and how to integrate these values into the story • Move from values to policy/ program; don’t start at policy/program assuming values • Think in terms of metaphors and larger social narratives that guide public policy making

  24. Shifting from What can I do? to What will it take?

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