Measuring scientific interest
The effect of knowledge questions on interest ratings
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22948009 |
|---|---|
| Authors | George Gaskell (0000-0001-6135-9496, London School of Economics and Political Science), Daniel B Wright (0000-0002-9050-4266, London School of Economics and Political Science), Daniel Wright (0000-0002-1889-5362, London School of Economics and Political Science), Daniel William Mackenzie Wright (0000-0001-9976-5799, London School of Economics and Political Science), Colm O’muircheartaigh (London School of Economics and Political Science), Colm O'Muircheartaigh (London School of Economics and Political Science) |
| Year | 1993 |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 39-57 |
| Publication date | 1993-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Public Understanding of Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0963-6625 • E-ISSN: 1361-6609 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1088/0963-6625/2/1/003 |
| OpenAlex | W1848764668 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 9 |
| References cited | 11 |
Research into the publics' interest in, knowledge of and attitudes towards science has captured the attention of politicians and educators. Sample survey research has been employed to assess the diverse aspects of the public understanding of science. However, surveys are subject to various biases that may affect the findings, calling into question both the reliability and the validity of the measures concerned. In this study we look at one common bias—that of context effects. Context effects occur when a question influences responses to later questions. The effects of answering one of four different sets of science questions (physical or life science, and easy or difficult questions) on what people report as their interest in science and what they think science is, were investigated using a split ballot format ( n = 2099). Two approaches from social psychology, framing and consistency, are used to predict the effects of these knowledge questions on subsequent responses. Context effects were found and were more in line with the framing explanation. The results signal the need for caution in interpreting findings from surveys of the public understanding of science.
Ballot · Epistemology · Framing (construction) · Framing effect · Mathematics education · Political science · Public awareness of science · Public interest · Science communication · Science education · Animal and Plant Science Education · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Psychology · Social Psychology
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Statistics in science and in society
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Socio-demographic correlates of DK-responses in knowledge surveys
Fictitious Issues Revisited
Effects of Text and Hypertext Structures on User Interest and Understanding of Science and Technology
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British Social Attitudes: Special International Report
A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance
Logic and Conversation
Public understanding of science in Britain
Cognitive psychology meets the national survey
Cognitive psychology meets the national survey
On the inconclusiveness of “crucial” cognitive tests of dissonance versus self-perception theories
Effects of Question Wording and Format on Political Attitude Consistency
| Unique citing works | 9 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,28 |
| Citation span | 1994 - 2018 (25) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 8 |