| Description |
Because of a recent decrease in people who believe science is beneficial to society, organizations like the Association for the Advancement of Science have sought to improve communication between scientists and the public in order to increase the public's opinion of science (Pew Foundation, 2015). However, simply decreasing the knowledge gap between scientists and the public may not be enough as the general public struggles to understand the nature of science (Lederman, 1992). This study's aim is to better understand the public's understanding of science and how scientists can discuss controversial topics, specifically GMOs. To do so, 36 participants were tested on their basic science knowledge, filled out questionnaires, completed think aloud protocols, and were interviewed to gain insight into how they viewed science and GMOs. Their responses were analyzed using a constant comparison analysis (Glaser & Strauss, 1967), followed by a frequency analysis that examined response categories with respect to participants' gender, field of study, religion, and general science knowledge. Results indicate that the majority of students hold a more traditional textbook view of science of method and discovery. Questions about GMOs were also similar across students, though more science majors were concerned with research and evidence than other students. However, when asked about their own views students' responses were more varied, with differences found in gender, science and non-science majors, and the levels of performance on the knowledge test scores. |
