Public understanding of science and the perception of nanotechnology: the roles of interest in science, methodological knowledge, epistemological beliefs, and beliefs about science

摘要: In this article, we report data from an online questionnaire study with 587 respondents, representative for the adult U.S. population in terms of age, gender, and level education. The aim was to assess how interest science knowledge as well beliefs about are associated risk benefit perceptions nanotechnology. findings suggest that public is still rather unfamiliar Those who have some mainly gotten it TV Internet. content current media reports perceived fairly positive. Knowledge scientific methods unrelated perceptions, at least when other predictors controlled. contrast, positive (e.g., its impact on economy or health) more sophisticated epistemological nature moderately linked only exception perception uncertainty: This less evaluations. Finally, higher engagement perceptions. These show laypersons engaged aware inherent uncertainty evidence might perceive nanotechnology a somewhat differentiated way, contrary portrayed today.