Civil Defense and the Public: An Overview of Public Attitude Studies.

This report outlines relevant aspects of civil defense history and provides a general overview of public attitudes during the past 25 years. Public attitude findings are summarized under such topics as the international context, threat perception, general favorability, program support salience, perceptions of local programs perceptions of shelters as a survival resource, response to warning, and training and education impact. Findings are reviewed relevant to such special audiences as information seekers, youth, local governing bodies, volunteers and voluntary associations, and the community power structure. The credibility and acceptance of crisis relocation programs, home basement sharing, and blast shelter programs are discussed. The implications of the findings and their bearing on program development are reviewed.(Author)