'The Jaws Effect'

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141211090610.htm

Dr Neff's research, which has been published online in the Australian Journal of Political Science, spells out the 'Jaws Effect' as a political device based on three themes from the film: the intentionality of sharks, the perception that all human-shark interactions are fatal and the idea that killing 'the shark' is the only solution.

Neff, C. (2014) The Jaws Effect: How movie narratives are used to influence policy responses to shark bites in Western Australia. Australian Journal of Political Science. 49(4), pp.1-14.

Just reminded me a little of the other thread, re: the 'affectionate' tiger shark. Just jumps from one extreme to another, doesn't it?

It's a bit worrying that films have so much influence! I've been watching a vampire series called, 'The Strain'; the expert from the CDC made a broadcast last week on the show telling people about a virus that was causing a parasite to turn people into vampires - I do hate it when things aren't realistic - I mean a virus causes a parasite!!!! I ask you!?!

Well that is not factually correct in numerous aspects.

Though there have been many shark attacks in WA the last few yrs & they do have a hunt policy. The policy also kills many sharks that have not attacked & not all encounters are either fatal or maiming.

Not just in WA but for the whole of the country...many beach goers swim by a shark without even knowing it.

Lorraine: It's annoying, isn't it? You'd think people would have enough common sense to distinguish fact from fiction!

Tracy: But WA does have an imminent threat policy. Neff was investigating the relationship between that and the Spielberg film. The 'Jaws Effect' is simply used to outline a group of three major misconceptions.

Thus why I said it was factually incorrect.

WA is not the only state that slaughters sharks due to public perception or fear. Politicians here allow & promote shark nets & culling to promote their own postions as people live by... kill before it kills you out of sheer fear from movies such as jaws. I do not happen to agree with the article as I live with sharks not 20 mins from my house.

I can assure you, when someone is bitten by a shark anywhere in this country, policies go out the window & the hunters go out on mass, and 10 x more protest the cull.

Sorry, I think I'm misunderstanding your posts. I don't think the study was insinuating that WA is the only state that kills sharks as a result of public perception - it also includes SA. It's not addressing the deaths of sharks en mass, throughout Australia; it's addressing only the way in which sharks have been treated as a result of government policies, and in turn how the government policies were affected by Jaws. It's examining the way in which Jaws has influenced policymakers, and the way fear reactions have been conditioned to respond to images of sharks. It's criticising the fact that fiction overwhelms scientific evidence.

WA's policies state that any shark considered to be an imminent threat can be pre-emptively killed, whether they've made physical contact with a human or not. This includes any sharks found within close proximity to people. The study hasn't contradicted that.

I've read something similar about wolves and how movies portraying wolves in a negative light can cause a rise in ranchers/farmers shooting them on sight.
People can't think for themself.

It's so incredibly frustrating!

It is.

It's the panic factor. Human beings are hard wired to keep themselves safe, and will hunt down any perceived threats, whether real or imaginary!

But there's also the rather disquieting human trait of believing fiction!

Mass hysteria and all that! Media really doesn't help, and nor do the people who ignore shark warnings and go out swimming, only to get nibbled.