Toward a scientific understanding of the public understanding of science and technology

1992 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon D. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Science And Technology ◽  
Scientific Understanding ◽  
Public Understanding Of Science ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
The Public ◽  
Understanding Of Science

Public Science Day and the public understanding of science in America

2000 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shane M. Daley
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Context ◽  
American Association ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Public Understanding Of Science ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Public Science ◽  
The Public ◽  
The World ◽  
Understanding Of Science

Many countries around the world have instituted day-long or week-long events celebrating science and technology. This article describes the “Public Science Day” sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of science, focusing especially on organizational context, goals, and activities.

Analyzing acceptance politics: Towards an epistemological shift in the public understanding of science and technology

2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Barben
Keyword(s):  
Science And Technology ◽  
Public Understanding Of Science ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Main Research ◽  
The Public ◽  
Analytical Perspective ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Understanding Of Science

Reviewing the main research approaches on the acceptance of science and technology (S&T) developed in the last decades, I will (1) summarize advances achieved and persisting problems concerning the understanding of both the public and S&T. I will show that the acceptance-centered framework has, at least implicitly, been linked to practical efforts in acceptance politics, i.e., attempts to improve a lack of acceptance. In order to investigate conflicts relating to S&T in a more reflective way, I will (2) suggest an epistemological shift towards the analysis of acceptance politics. Building on the distinction between the relevance and resonance of S&T, the ways in which S&T are valuated and gain legitimacy are investigated from a regime analytical perspective. I will (3) exemplify the advantages of this approach by comparatively analyzing the acceptance politics of three biotechnology applications in the USA and Germany. I will (4) conclude with an outlook on future research.

The public understanding of science or the scientific understanding of the public? A review of the social context of the `new genetics'

1995 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Macintyre
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Scientific Understanding ◽  
Public Understanding Of Science ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social ◽  
Understanding Of Science

The `new genetics' have great potential for improving human health. In order for this potential to be realized, attempts to improve the public understanding of science should be complemented by attempts to improve our scientific understanding of the public. It is important to investigate existing popular understandings and practices, in relation to the role of heredity in human disease, chance and calculation of cost benefit ratios in situations of uncertainty, the management of the role of being `at risk' for particular diseases, and the ways in which individual and collective interests are balanced in a variety of health and welfare fields. Above all, we need to study what individuals, families and social institutions actually know, feel and do in relation to the `new genetics', rather than basing policy on assumptions about what they might know, feel or do.

Developing a Sociological Model to Improve Public Understanding of Science among Citizens (Case Study: Isfahan City)

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 84
Author(s):  
Zahra Maher ◽  
Ali Rabbani Khorasgani
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation Modeling ◽  
Mass Media ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Public Understanding Of Science ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Media ◽  
Understanding Of Science

<p>In recent years, along with attributing more importance to the knowledge and information, the presence of the  knowledgeable and well-informed manpower has gained significance and the existing level of knowledge and information among the common people of society has been considered as one of the preconditions and essential elements  of the development in that country. One of the important issues confronting the sociologists who analyze the sciences is how to present sciences in the mass <strong>media</strong>. Besides, today, communication in many different fields is held within the exclusive control of the <strong>mass media</strong> and these media are the only source of information for most of the people.The present study, therefore, aims to explain the quality of "public understanding of science and technology" among the Isfahanian people and to produce the required data for the evaluation of general knowledge of and attitude toward science and technology. In particular, this study deals with the mechanisms applied by <strong>mass media</strong> to enhance the public understanding of science and technology.</p><p>As to research methodology, the present study follows the purpose of obtaining the quantitative statistical results from one sample. a systematic interview in the form of a questionnaire with closed-end items was used for collecting the required data. The research population for this study is the residents (aged between 15 to 79 years) of the 15 regions of Isfahan city of whom the number is 1564553, based on the public census in 2014. As for determining the sample size, Cochrane equation was used and 630 participants were chosen for the interview using a quota sampling. The main hypothesis of the quantitative phase was made based on the structural equation modeling to examine the "mechanism of media contribution to the enhancement of public understanding of science among citizens". This hypothesis was tested using Amos software.</p><p>The results of this study are as follows:    </p><p>In the formulated Structural Equation Modeling, it was observed that the media increase the communicative competence of their addressees through translation and simplification of the scientific notions. Such an increase in the "addressees' competence in communicating with science", in turn, increases "their participation rate in the science and technology programs" and ultimately, enhances the public understanding of science and technology.  Media played also some part in "representing the cultural and intellectual bio-life prevailing in society" and reflecting the dominant intellectual atmosphere of society. On the other hand, results showed that the media which are the mediator agents within the network, could reinforce the features of the sciences supportive culture through the representation of cultural and intellectual atmosphere prevailing in society and this was another factor which had a mediator role in the contribution of media on the enhancement of public understanding of science. <strong></strong></p>

Understanding understanding: a model for the public learning of radioactivity

1999 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 267-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Alsop
Keyword(s):  
Informal Learning ◽  
Background Radiation ◽  
Public Understanding Of Science ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Change Model ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
The Public ◽  
Understanding Of Science ◽  
Conceptual Change Model

While much of the work in the public understanding of science has focused on the public's appreciation of science and their familiarity with key scientific concepts, understanding the processes involved in learning science has largely been ignored. This article documents a study of how particular members of the public learn about radiation and radioactivity, and proposes a model to describe their learning—the Informal Conceptual Change Model [ICCM]. ICCM is a multidimensional framework that incorporates three theoretical dimensions—the cognitive, conative, and affective. The paper documents each of these dimensions, and then illustrates the model by drawing upon data collected in a case study. The emphasis of the analysis is on understanding how the members of the public living in an area with high levels of background radiation learn about the science of this potential health threat. The summarizing comments examine the need for a greater awareness of the complexities of informal learning.

The roles of rhetoric in the public understanding of science

1994 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan G. Gross
Keyword(s):  
Rhetorical Analysis ◽  
Public Understanding Of Science ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Contextual Model ◽  
Deficit Model ◽  
The Public ◽  
Science Rhetoric ◽  
Understanding Of Science ◽  
Social Scientific

In the public understanding of science, rhetoric has two distinct roles: it is both a theory capable of analysing public understanding and an activity capable of creating it. In its analytical role, rhetoric reveals two dominant models of public understanding: the deficit model and the contextual model. In the deficit model, rhetoric acts in the minor role of creating public understanding by accommodating the facts and methods of science to public needs and limitations. In the contextual model, rhetoric and rhetorical analysis play major roles. Rhetorical analysis provides an independent source of evidence to secure social scientific claims; in addition, it supplies the grounds for a rhetoric of reconstruction, one that reconstitutes the fact and facts of science in the public interest.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document