Microsoft Word - Fracking_In_the_American_Mind_2012.doc

The report finds that a majority of Americans in 2012 were unfamiliar with fracking and undecided about whether to support or oppose it. Among those who had formed an opinion, views were split, though a slim majority viewed the practice as 'bad'. Support and opposition varied significantly by gender, age, political affiliation, and geographic region, with conservatives and older males more supportive, and liberals, younger people, and residents of the Northeast and West more opposed. Associations with fracking were primarily divided between environmental concerns (linked to opposition) and economic or energy supply benefits (linked to support).

• A majority of American adults in 2012 had limited familiarity with fracking; 54% had heard "nothing at all" or only "a little," while only 9% had heard "a lot."
• Most Americans were undecided about fracking, with 58% stating they did not know or were undecided. Among those who did form an opinion, 59% considered fracking to be 'bad' compared to 42% who considered it 'good'.
• Support for fracking is influenced by demographic factors: men, older individuals, and conservatives are more likely to be supportive, while women, younger people, and liberals are more likely to oppose it.
• Geographic opposition to fracking is higher among residents of the Northeast and West (25% and 26% respectively) than in the Midwest (13%) and South (17%), while Midwestern residents are the most uncertain.
• The primary associations people have with fracking correlate with their stance: those who mention environmental impacts tend to oppose it, while those who mention economics or energy supply tend to support it.
• Across the 'Six Americas' segments (categorized by global warming beliefs), most people remain unfamiliar with and undecided about fracking, though the Alarmed, Cautious, and Dismissive groups show the highest levels of familiarity.

APA

Leiserowitz, A., Feinberg, G., Maibach, E., & Roser-Renouf, C. (n.d.). Microsoft Word - Fracking_In_the_American_Mind_2012.doc. Center for Climate Change Communication. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/September-2012-Fracking-In-the-American-Mind.pdf

Chicago

Leiserowitz, Anthony, Geoff Feinberg, Edward Maibach, and Connie Roser-Renouf. Microsoft Word - Fracking_In_the_American_Mind_2012.doc. Center for Climate Change Communication, n.d. https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/September-2012-Fracking-In-the-American-Mind.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Leiserowitz |first1=Anthony |last2=Feinberg |first2=Geoff |last3=Maibach |first3=Edward |last4=Roser-Renouf |first4=Connie |title=Microsoft Word - Fracking_In_the_American_Mind_2012.doc |publisher=Center for Climate Change Communication |url=https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/September-2012-Fracking-In-the-American-Mind.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{leiserowitzndmicrosoft, author = {Leiserowitz, Anthony and Feinberg, Geoff and Maibach, Edward and Roser-Renouf, Connie}, title = {{Microsoft Word - Fracking\_In\_the\_American\_Mind\_2012.doc}}, institution = {Center for Climate Change Communication}, url = {https://climatecommunication.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/September-2012-Fracking-In-the-American-Mind.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }