PR Newswire
03 Oct 2022, 23:33 GMT+10
New research from the academic journal, Biology, highlights the role of words in describing human-shark interactions.
NEW YORK, Oct. 4, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study published this week in the journal Biology has found an increase in the use of the phrase "shark bite" in reporting by The New York Times about shark "attacks." This information is being released by the author through Chris Pepin-Neff Consulting.
The study entitled "Shark Bite Reporting and The New York Times" was conducted by the University of Sydney Senior Lecturer Chris Pepin-Neff, PhD, who looked at 10 years of articles that cover human-shark interactions (n=36). Chris Pepin-Neff notes, "sometimes rare but terrible and tragic fatal shark bites occur." He added, "The data collected show that 32-39% of all reported shark 'attacks' have no injury. This may constitute a game-changer for how the public thinks about sharks and how the media reports on shark 'attacks.' The findings of The New York Times illustrate that a change is happening, and the public supports this change."
This research is important because there are direct connections between public attitudes toward shark bites and support for shark conservation. The type of language The New York Times uses when it reports on shark "attacks" is important for three reasons:
Among the most important findings are that the state of California has changed its reporting language and now reports shark "attacks" as "shark incidents."
The latest analysis of The New York Times suggests that there has indeed been a shift in their reporting style since about 2018. A comparison of the number of articles that include shark "attack" and shark "bite" mentions between 2012-2021 shows that from 2012-2017 there was a clear dominance of the phrase "shark attack", but parity began to emerge in 2018 with increased use of "shark bite."
The result is a more layered narrative about human-shark interactions and less of a one-dimensional movie-monster storyline. Because when we allow for a different (more scientifically accurate) story to emerge, the shape of human-shark relations really evolves. For instance, there has also been a marked increase in the use of shark "sightings," shark "incidents," and shark "encounters" since 2020.
In conclusion, The New York Times and other media outlets should continue to be examined for the words they use to describe the very different types of human-shark interactions. And on a personal note, I would emphasize that sometimes rare but terrible and tragic fatal shark bites occur. Nothing in this research or study is meant to take away from the real-life trauma, fear, and death that a shark can cause. This is an attempt to address the use of language to more accurately reflect shark behaviour.
Chris Pepin-Neff, PhD, is the author of the book FLAWS: Shark Bites and Emotional Public Policymaking from Routledge (2019).
Media contact:
Chris Pepin-Neff
+61 448668779
[email protected]
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1913032/Dr_Christopher_Pepin_Neff_Shark_Attack.jpg
SOURCE Dr. Christopher Pepin-Neff
Get a daily dose of Malaysia Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Malaysia Sun.
More InformationHUNG YEN, Vietnam: A new US$1.5 billion luxury golf and residential project backed by the Trump Organization officially broke ground...
Kuwait City [Kuwait], May 27 (ANI): AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who is part of an all-party delegation to inform nations about Pakistan's...
New Delhi [India], May 27 (ANI): FDI flows into India increased 14 per cent to USD 81.04 billion in the recently concluded financial...
Ljubljana [Slovenia], May 27 (ANI): After wrapping up a three-day official visit to Slovenia, the all-party Indian parliamentary delegation...
Ljubljana [Slovenia], May 27 (ANI): Consul General of Nepal in Slovenia, Aswin Kumar Shrestha, said that people of Slovenia love Kashmir,...
Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], May 27 (ANI): Noting that terrorist activities are no longer a proxy war but a well-thought-out strategy...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: This week, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) dropped its lawsuit against PepsiCo, which had accused...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: New single-family home sales in the U.S. rose sharply in April to their highest level in over three years as builders...
VEVEY, Switzerland: Nestle is realigning its focus on its core food and beverage operations after expanding into areas like health...
DEARBORN, Michigan: Ford Motor Company has filed a lawsuit against several California lawyers and law firms, accusing them of cheating...
BRUSSELS, Belgium: U.S. drugmakers are charging significantly more for new treatments, particularly those targeting rare diseases,...
MINNETONKA, Minnesota: UnitedHealth shares took a sharp hit this week, after a report by the UK's Guardian alleged the healthcare giant...