Science Communication 2002 Abstracts
Science Communication Interest Group
Media Production In The Science Classroom: A Literature Review Of Media Literacy, Science Literacy, And Student-Authored Hypermedia • Timothy Bajkiewicz, Southern Florida • Media literacy and science literacy have, individually, been recognized as crucial educational components in furthering a citizenry properly prepared for the hypermediated and technologically complex 21st century. This paper examines the relevant literature in media and science literacy efforts and applies them together to a relatively new area of research, student-authored science hypermedia (e.g., student-created science Internet sites). The potential of student-authored hypermedia could bridge the similar and complimentary efforts of media and science literacy.
Book Reviewers’ Recognition of Environmental Ethics In Aldo Leopold’s “A Sand County Almanac” • James Carstens, North Carolina, Chapel Hill • Aldo Leopold, who wrote his seminal work, “A Sand County Almanac” in 1949, is now credited with formulating and articulating some of the basic ethical and philosophical tenets that lead to the development of biology conservation, land ethics, biocentrism, deep ecology, and biodiversity. Analysis of the initial treatment and reception of the book by reviewers shows that only one reviewer, Hal Borland, recognized and emphasized the important ethical questions and concerns that Leopold raised regarding man’s relationship to nature.
The Web and E-Mail in Science Communication: Results of In-Depth Interviews • Rebecca Dumlao, Eastern Carolina and Shearlean Duke, Western Washington • Using open-ended interviews, researchers identified 12 themes concerning web and e-mail use by science writers. The web and e-mail “speeds information” between sources, reporters, editors, and audiences. “Skepticism” about information quality leads science writers to urge practices of “good judgment” by web users. A diagram illustrates ways “speeds information” is changing journalistic work. Suggestions concerning future research on diffusion of information are offered.
Idiocentrism, Issue Involvement, & Health Communication: A Social Psychological Framework • Mohan Dutta-Bergman, Purdue • Existing research demonstrates that audience members demonstrate systematic differences in the messages they respond to. The social psychological model of human behavior suggests that a person’s disposition interacts with his/her situation to produce a communicative response. Idiocentrism/allocentrism is one of the few personality factors that has received a great deal of attention in the realm of audience response to health messages. Issue involvement is a situational dimension that has been extensively researched in the information processing literature.
Source Credibility And Global Warming: A Content Analysis Of Environmental Groups • Terry Flynn, Syracuse • The purpose of this study was to determine how environmental journalists rate the credibility of environmental groups as sources of information on the global warming debate. A self-administered survey questionnaire, based on the Meyer’s Credibility Index, and a quantitative content analysis was used to test the credibility and coverage of environmental groups involved in the global warming debate over the last two years.
Use of Quasi-Scientific Explanations in U.S. Media Coverage of the Stem Cell Debate • Jennifer Hutt, Kristie Swain, Jennifer Richter, Li Jin, and Ping Wang, Texas A&M • Science writing curricula often stress the importance of using explanations to make a story understandable to readers. This study examines the use of explanation in U.S. stem cell media coverage, through a content analysis of news stories appearing in three newspapers, three newsweekly magazines, and three network television news websites from 1994 to 2001. Two-thirds of explanations were definitions. Consistent with previous research, the use of explanation in these stories was highest in specialized science sections and did not vary according to story length.
The Effect of Labeling Genetically Modified Food on Perception of Accountability • Tracy Irani, and Janas Sinclair, Florida International • This experiment examined the impact of various types of genetically modified GMO food labels. Labeling was expected to affect perceptions of government and industry accountability, which in turn was expected to impact attitude toward purchase and global attitudes toward plant biotechnology. The findings provided evidence for this two-step model. Further, global attitude was more favorable than attitude toward purchasing the GM product, and attitude toward purchase was lower when the product contained GM ingredients.
Framing the Environmental Agenda: A Qualitative Comparison of 1970 Nixon Speeches and Time Magazine • Diana Knott, Ohio University • This study compares the rhetorical frames employed by President Richard Nixon and Time magazine’s reporting in 1970 to gain a better understanding of early mainstream environmental references. The frame Nixon used most often was that of the need for a collective, unified effort to address the nation’s environmental problems. By contrast, the frame used most often by Time was that of the economy and quality of life versus the environment.
Media Coverage of Conflicts of Interest in Science • Katherine McComas, Leah Simone, Maryland • There is a growing concern among scientists that media attention to conflicts of interest in science threaten the public’s belief in the integrity of the field. To examine media coverage of conflicts of interest in science, we conducted a 10-year content analysis of stories from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and USA Today. The results suggest a steady stream of stories highlighting the negative aspects of conflicts of interest in science.
The ‘Trust Gap’ Hypothesis: Predicting Support for Biotechnology Across National Cultures as a Function of Trust in Actors • Susanna Hornig Priest, Texas A&M, Heinz Bonfadelli, University of Zurich, Switzerland and Maria Rusanen, University of Kuopio, Finland • Using results from the 1999 Eurobarometer survey and a parallel telephone survey done in the United States in 2000, this study explored the relationship between levels of knowledge, educational levels, and degrees of encouragement for biotechnology. We found only weak relationships among these variables, calling into question the common assumption that science literacy produces acceptance. Differences between European and U.S. reactions to biotechnology appear to stem from different patterns of trust in institutions.
Context In Print And Online Environmental Articles • Ryan Randazzo, Jennifer Greer, Nevada-Reno • A content analysis of environmental articles in leading U.S. dailies revealed that few of nine types of context examined were included in the printed version of the articles. None of the newspapers were using the potential of the Internet consistently to add more context to their environmental articles online. In fact, fewer contextual elements appeared online than in the print versions.
Environmental Threats, Information Sources and Optimistic Bias: Environmental Risk in Appalachia • Daniel Riffe, Jan Knight, Ohio University • Telephone survey of 405 adults in Appalachian Ohio counties examined general and detailed environmental risk perception; evaluation of environmental information sources (government, companies and businesses, and local media); and “optimistic bias” (belief that others are more likely to suffer negative events than you) about environment-related health risks. General optimistic bias confirmed, but varied with number of specific threats where one lives. Local media best source, but source evaluations vary with perceived seriousness of environmental threats.
Motives To Seek Threatened And Endangered Species Information For Land-Use Decisions • Janas Sinclair, Florida International, Frank Mazzotti and Jocie Graham, Florida • The theory of planned behavior was used to survey land-use planners and regulators in South Florida. Past behavior, attitude toward act, and social norms predicted 42% of the variance in intention to seek information about threatened and endangered species, such as the Multi-Species Recovery Plan (MSRP), in land-use decisions. Communications for this audience should also address relatively low levels of past behavior, knowledge of the MSRP, information exposure, and external perceived behavioral control.
Relationships Among Important Outcomes Of Science Campaigns Aimed At The General Public • Debbie Treise, Michael F. Weigold, Kim Walsh-Childers and Meredith Friedman, Florida • In recent years many science organizations have found it increasingly important to target message campaigns at the general public, or at least that portion of the general public that is interested in science. This study was intended to increase our understanding of the relationships among key aspects of the public’s attitudes and beliefs about science. For this study, 301 undergraduate students answered questions about their attitudes toward, support for, and knowledge of science and read a science website story and answered questions about it.
Forecasting the Future: How Television Weathercasters’ Attitudes and Beliefs about Climate Change Affect Their Cognitive Knowledge on the Science • Kris Wilson, Texas-Austin • The topic of climate change has recently resurfaced on many news agendas, but increasingly the scientific and political issues mix. Previous research has noted that even though the public relies primarily on television news as a source of climate change information, broadcasting has few environment and/or science reporters to cover the topic. This study considers another potential source — television weathercasters.
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