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James Stoutenborough

James W. Stoutenborough

Associate Professor of American Politics and Public Policy
Affiliate Faculty of Environmental Science and Management

Office: Graveley Hall, North Wing, 3rd floor

(208) 282-2643

jamesstoutenborough@isu.edu

Website

Ph.D. University of Kansas, 2010

Dr. James W. Stoutenborough joined the Department of Political Science at Idaho State University in May, 2014, as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. Dr. Stoutenborough is also a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Science, Technology, and Public Policy in the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. Previously, he was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Institute for Science, Technology, and Public Policy.

Dr. Stoutenborough's research and teaching interests included public policy, U.S. state politics, public opinion, and political psychology with a substantive interest in science and technology issues like climate change and renewable energy. His research can be found in both the institutional and behavioral paradigms, which he believes need to be better integrated.

From an institutional perspective, Dr. Stoutenborough examines why institutions (normally, U.S. states) reach particular policy decisions. This is typically achieved using the theory of policy diffusion. Through this research, Dr. Stoutenborough has identified two new approaches to policy diffusion (organizational diffusion with Dr. Kellee J. Kirkpatrick and a hybrid model of diffusion), both of which are currently under peer-review.

Within the behavioral paradigm, he is currently researching individual-level behavior as it pertains to political attitude formation, problem identification, agenda setting, and policy adoption. Specifically, his research examines how risk perceptions, knowledge, trust, and various attitudes influence aspects of the policy process.

Dr. Stoutenborough believes that once social scientists understand the motivations behind individual behavior, they can begin to better understand how institutional forces influence the policy process. For example, he is currently working on a project with Dr. Douglas Oxley that identifies the causal reasoning used by individuals during the policy diffusion process. This understanding of individual behavior better allows policy scholars to understand how individuals process new information and reach policy decisions. With this knowledge, policy scholars can examine how institutional differences influence this information processing.

Curriculum Vitae

Courses Taught

  • Introduction to American Government (Undergraduate)
  • Politics & Film (Undergraduate)
  • Comparative U.S. State Politics (Undergraduate)
  • Voting & Public Opinion (Undergraduate & Graduate)
  • Science & Technology Policy (Undergraduate & Graduate)
  • Research Methods (Undergraduate & Graduate)
  • Advanced Quantitative Methods (Graduate)
  • State & Local Politics (Graduate)
  • Environmental Policy (Graduate)
  • Public Policy Process (Graduate)

Select Publications

  1. Robinson, Scott E., James W. Stoutenborough, and Arnold Vedlitz. Forthcoming. Understanding Trust in Government: Environmental Sustainability, Fracking, and Public Opinion in American Politics. New York: Routledge.
  2. Robinson, Scott E., James W. Stoutenborough, and Arnold Vedlitz. Forthcoming. “Assessing Public Support for Government Policy: Comparing Experimental and Attitudinal Approaches.” In Sabastian Jilke, Oliver James, and Gregg Van Ryzin (Eds.), Experiments in Public Administration Research: Challenges and Contributions. New York: Cambridge University Press. Pp. ?-?.
  3. Liu, Xinsheng, James W. Stoutenborough, and Arnold Vedlitz. Forthcoming. “Bureaucratic Expertise, Overconfidence, and Policy Choice.” Governance ().
  4. McBeth, Mark K., Donna L. Lybecker, James W. Stoutenborough, Sarah N. Davis, and Katrina Running. Forthcoming. “Content Matters: Stakeholder Assessment of River Stories or River Science.” Public Policy and Administration ().
  5. Mahafza, Zachary B., James W. Stoutenborough, and Arnold Vedlitz. Forthcoming. “The Role of Proximity in Problem Identification: Risk of Water Scarcity in Texas.” Water Policy ().
  6. McBeth, Mark K., Donna L. Lybecker, and James W. Stoutenborough. 2016. “Do Stakeholders Analyze their Audience? The Communication Switch and Stakeholder Personal versus Public Communication Choices.” Policy Sciences 49(4): 421-444.
  7. Stoutenborough, James W., Scott E. Robinson, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2016. “A Respone to “Word Choice Matters: Comment on Stoutenborough et al. 2016, ‘Is “Fracking” a New Dirty Word?” Energy Research & Social Science 20(October): 10-13.
  8. Lybecker, Donna L., Mark K. McBeth, and James W. Stoutenborough. 2016. “Do We Understand What the Public Hears? Stakeholders’ Preferred Communication Choices for Discussing River Issues with the Public.” Review of Policy Research 33(4): 376-392.
  9. Stoutenborough, James W., and Arnold Vedlitz. 2016. "The Role of Scientific Knowledge in the Public’s Perceptions of Energy Technology Risks." Energy Policy 96(September): 206-216.
  10. Stoutenborough, James W., Scott E. Robinson, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2016. “Is ‘Fracking’ a New Dirty Word? The Influence of Word Choice on Public Views toward Natural Gas Attitudes.” Energy Research and Social Science 17(July): 52-58.
  11. Stoutenborough, James W., Arnold Vedlitz, and Xin Xing. 2016. “Are all Risk Perceptions Created Equal? Comparing General Risk Assessments and Specific Risk Assessments Associated with Climate Change.” Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal 22(1): 50-70.
  12. Stoutenborough, James W. 2015. “Stakeholders’ Preferred Policy Solution: Comparing Strategies to Address Degraded Levees.” Water Policy 17(6): 1093-1107.
  13. Bromley-Trujillo, Rebecca, James W. Stoutenborough, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2015. "Scientific Advocacy, Environmental Interest Groups, and Climate Change: Are Climate Skeptic Portrayals of Climate Scientists as Biased Accurate?" Climatic Change 133(4): 607-619.
  14. Stoutenborough, James W., and Arnold Vedlitz. 2015. “Knowledge, Information, and Views of Climate Change: An Examination of Coastal Stakeholders along the Gulf of Mexico.” Climate 3(4): 983-998.
  15. Stoutenborough, James W. 2015. “Revisiting River Management Options: Stakeholders, Levees, and the Public Policy Controversies of Degraded Infrastructure.” Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy 6(2): 239-257.
  16. Stoutenborough, James W., Kellee J. Kirkpatrick, M. Jeremy Field, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2015. “What Butterfly Effect? The Contextual Differences in Public Perceptions of the Health Risk Posed by Climate Change.” Climate 3(3): 668-688.
  17. Liu, Xinsheng, Arnold Vedlitz, James W. Stoutenborough, and Scott E. Robinson. 2015. “Scientists’ Views and Positions on Global Warming and Climate Change: A Content Analysis of Congressional Testimonies.” Climatic Change 131(4): 487-503.
         - Featured in:
              - Nature Climate Change 5(6): 515 (2015).
              - Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, September 1, 2015.
  18. Stoutenborough, James W., Rebecca Bromley-Trujillo, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2015. “How to Win Friends and Influence People: Climate Scientists’ Perspectives on their Relationship with and Influence on Government Officials.” Journal of Public Policy 35(2): 269-296.
  19. Stoutenborough, James W. 2015. “Cheap and Clean: How Americans Think about Energy in the Age of Global Warming.” Review of Policy Research 32(6): 747-748.
  20. Stoutenborough, James W., Liu Shi, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2015. “Probing Public Perceptions on Energy: Support for a Comparative, Deep-Probing Survey Design for Complex Issue Domains.” Energy 81(March): 406-415.
  21. Stoutenborough, James W., Arnold Vedlitz, and Xinsheng Liu. 2015. “The Influence of Specific Risk Perceptions on Public Policy Support: An Examination of Energy Policy.” The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 658(1): 102-120.
  22. Stoutenborough, James W., Robert N. Fette, Arnold Vedlitz, and Carol Goldsmith. 2014. “Understanding the Communication of Climate Change Risk: Climate Scientists’ Perspectives of Media Sources and Policy Makers.” Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy 5(4): 365-384.
  23. Stoutenborough, James W., Rebecca Bromley-Trujillo, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2014. “Public Support for Climate Change Policy: Consistency in the Influence of Values and Attitudes over Time and Across Specific Policy Alternatives.” Review of Policy Research 31(6): 555-583.
  24. Bromley-Trujillo, Rebecca, James W. Stoutenborough, Kellee J. Kirkpatrick, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2014. “Climate Scientists and Environmental Interest Groups: The Intersection of Expertise and Advocacy.” Politics, Groups, and Identities 2(1): 120-134.
  25. Stoutenborough, James W., and Arnold Vedlitz. 2014. “The Effect of Perceived and Assessed Knowledge of Climate Change on Public Policy Concerns: An Empirical Comparison.” Environmental Science & Policy 37(March): 23-33.
  26. Stoutenborough, James W., and Arnold Vedlitz. 2014. “Public Attitudes toward Water Management and Drought in the United States.” Water Resources Management 28(3): 697-714.
  27. Stoutenborough, James W., Xinsheng Liu, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2014. “Trends in Public Attitudes: The Influence of the Economy and Climategate on Risk, Information, and Public Policy.” Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy 5(1): 22-37.
  28. Stoutenborough, James W., and Arnold Vedlitz. 2013. "Public Attitudes toward Water Management and Drought in Texas." Texas Water Journal 4(2): 47-61.
  29. Mumpower, Jeryl L., Liu Shi, James W. Stoutenborough, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2013. “Psychometric and Demographic Predictors of the Perceived Risk of Terrorist Threats and the Willingness to Pay for Risk Management Programs.” Risk Analysis 33(10): 1802-1811.
  30. Stoutenborough, James W., Shelbi G. Sturgess, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2013. “Knowledge, Risk, and Policy Support: Public Perceptions of Nuclear Power.” Energy Policy 62(11): 176-184.
         - Featured in Advances in Engineering, February 4, 2015.
  31. Bies, Angela, Deanna Green Lee, Charles Lindsey, James W. Stoutenborough, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2013. “Citizens, Nonprofits and Climate Change Policy.” Nonprofit Policy Forum 4(1): 5-28.
  32. Robinson, Scott E., Xinsheng Liu, James W. Stoutenborough, and Arnold Vedlitz. 2013. “Explaining Popular Trust in the Department of Homeland Security.” Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory 23(3): 713-733.
  33. Tucker, Justin A., James W. Stoutenborough, and R. Matthew Beverlin. 2012. “Geographic Proximity in the Diffusion of Concealed Weapons Permit Laws.” Politics & Policy 40(6): 1081-1105.
  34. Stoutenborough, James W., and Matthew Beverlin. 2008. “Encouraging Pollution-Free Energy: The Diffusion of State Net Metering Policies.” Social Science Quarterly 89(5): 1230-1251.
  35. Stoutenborough, James W., and Donald P. Haider-Markel. 2008. “Public Confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court: A New Look at the Impact of Court Decisions.” Social Science Journal 45(1): 28-47.
  36. Kirkpatrick, Kellee J., and James W. Stoutenborough. 2007. “Turn of Events: Public Confidence in the Media.” Public Opinion Pros, April. (an open access journal that no longer exists)
  37. Stoutenborough, James W., Donald P. Haider-Markel, and Mahalley D. Allen. 2006. “Reassessing the Impact of Supreme Court Decisions on Public Opinion: Gay Civil Rights Cases.” Political Research Quarterly 59(3): 419-433.