Week_8_Fallibility_in_Science.ppt

Key Findings from the Study The public generally has a positive image about science (i.e. it contributes to society) There is less public support for science where social and ethical concerns exist (i.e. nuclear power; genetically modified food) The public assesses the risks and benefits of science and technology with basic associations of what is seen as good and bad: the media and other similar sources play a significant role. * Scientists are the most trusted source of information on science. However, the publics trust is decreased if they represent government or industry. A large proportion of the public is unaware of whether scientists (from a particular sector) are regulated by government * Key Findings from the Study Key Findings from the Study There is broad support for public consultation on decision about scientific developments The public feels they ought to hear about potential new areas of science and technology before it happens Generally the public feels that government does not listen to or act on the opinions of the public. * There may be ambiguity in responses. For instance, if people know very little about risks in science they may not be able to relate to concepts such as risk outweighing a benefit. There is a general lack of knowledge on some issues (e.g. which scientists are regulated?) Single question responses have limited ability to measure respondents’ knowledge when science itself covers so many diverse areas It is difficult to predict how, in a repeated sample of the same size, the public will respond to some questions (Sampling was discussed in PM011) * A Critique of the Study Explaining ‘public ignorance’ is complex as there are many inter-related/dependent factors Where a scientific or technological issue is of relevance to a group of ‘laypersons’, their knowledge is often reasonably good The traditional (survey) approach to researching the public’s understanding of science fails to capture: the sometimes complex relationship b