Public information: On why and when multiple information sources are more effective than single information sources in communication about CCS

The present experimental research shows that communication about CCS to the public is most likely to be effective when multiple stakeholders communicate information about CCS in collaboration instead of doing so separately. Furthermore, this research demonstrates that such collaboration between stakeholders does not harm the reputation of relevant stakeholders. Finally, the present work shows that that perceived dissimilarity of collaborating stakeholders-that is, the perception that the stakeholders involved have different goals and interests concerning CCS-is a crucial precondition for collaborating stakeholders being more effective than single stakeholders. The results are discussed for their practical implications. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved