508 



sensational news story, event, or episode. Among the cases studied, a 

 number had this feature. They were : 



AD-X2 (journalist's story). 



Camelot (newspaper disclosure). 



Mohole (the initial success). 



Salk vaccine (the television announcement). 



Thalidomide (newspaper story). 



Pesticide Controversy (Rachel Carson's book) . 

 The effects of sensationalism on the congressional decision process 

 are mixed. Sensationalism has a number of valuable consequences. 

 For example, it sets in motion a series of policy and procedural reviews 

 which usually result in an administrative strengthening of the system 

 of government. It makes visible to the public and the Congress some 

 defect that has previously escaped attention, and motivates prompt 

 corrective action. On the other hand, sensationalism has many dis- 

 advantages. It tends to represent a defect in terms out of proportion 

 to the fact. It is one sided. It generates an emotional reaction when 

 sometimes what is needed is a calm and deliberate examination of hard 

 evidence. It tends to create a demand for hasty action when a better 

 answer might lie in further study of the problem. It may stress the 

 consequences of the defect, and thereby obscure the important technical 

 issue of the causes. It attracts many new participants into the decision 

 process, who may be highly motivated by the situation, but have not 

 had long previous experience with the technical circumstances in- 

 volved, and lack the background for sound decisionmaking. 



Outstanding Personalities as Witnesses 



Similar in effect is the selection of technical witnesses on the basis of 

 their recognition by the public as outstanding or sensational per- 

 sonalities." Such witnesses serve the valuable function of making 

 visible the issue that is the subject of their testimony. Witnesses are 

 sometimes called upon to make frequent appearances, because of their 

 recognized eminence, high quality of judgment and experience, and 

 intellectual versatilitv; such witnesses win the confidence of the Con- 

 gress and facilitate the decision process. On the other hand, an out- 

 standing personality may have the effect of diverting attention from 

 the technical issue. It is natural for witnesses to try to be heljif ul on an 

 issue even when their qualifications lie in another direction. The judg- 

 ment of a senior scientist may be of foremost quality, but his expe- 

 rience with the technical issue at hand may be remote in time or subject 

 matter. As senior scientists broaden their contacts and fields of interest, 

 there is a tendency for perspective and generalization to grow at the 

 expense of familiarity with detail and depth of specialization. 



A List of ^^Near-Impossibilities^'' 



Some kinds of technical information sought by Members of Con- 

 gi^ess in the cases studied are peculiarly unavailable. The interface 

 between science and politics contains a number of questions that are 

 impossible or nearly impossible to answer in technical terms. For 

 example : 



Provino: that some elemental feature or fact is unnnportant, m- 

 operative, or harmless ; • , i 



Proving that a particular field of basic research will be devoid 

 of useful applications in the f ature ; 



