Adult Science Learning from Local Television Newscasts

Miller, Jon D.; Augenbraun, Eliene; Schulhof, Julia; Kimmel, Linda G.

doi:10.1177/1075547006294461

Cited by 51 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…These choices are frequently linked to important background characteristics, such as education or employment, either directly or indirectly through the impact of the background characteristics on interest in or involvement with a particular topic (35,36). We also know that both individual and societal patterns of media use change over time, such as in the decline of traditional print newspapers (37) and network television news (38) and the growth of online news and partisan cable news outlets (39).…”

Section: Patterns Of Selectivity In Media Exposurementioning

confidence: 99%

An integrated model of communication influence on beliefs

Eveland

Cooper

2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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How do people develop and maintain their beliefs about science? Decades of social science research exist to help us answer this question. The Integrated Model of Communication Influence on Beliefs presented here combines multiple theories that have considered aspects of this process into a comprehensive model to explain how individuals arrive at their scientific beliefs. In this article, we (i) summarize what is known about how science is presented in various news and entertainment media forms; (ii) describe how individuals differ in their choices to be exposed to various forms and sources of communication; (iii) discuss the implications of how individuals mentally process information on the effects of communication; (iv) consider how communication effects can be altered depending on background characteristics and motivations of individuals; and (v) emphasize that the process of belief formation is not unidirectional but rather, feeds back on itself over time. We conclude by applying the Integrated Model of Communication Influence on Beliefs to the complex issue of beliefs about climate change.knowledge | learning D ecades of scholarship in communication and related fields have examined the role of mass and interpersonal communication as means by which members of the public acquire information or beliefs about a variety of important topics (1, 2). However, there are several properties of this literature that make it less than ideal for succinctly answering the larger question of how scientific beliefs are formed. First, there is a tendency to focus research on a particular form of communication in isolation from others (e.g., news rather than entertainment or media rather than interpersonal discussion), with an emphasis on media effects. Second, most empirical models offer snapshots of associations among variables (3, 4) rather than consideration of how feedback processes connect communication and beliefs in both causal directions. Third, the models tested often seem to have been developed on the basis of the data available in a particular study rather than on a broader consideration of the theoretical processes involved. In those cases in which the models do seem more comprehensive, they usually eschew formal prediction in favor of offering more abstract frameworks and encouraging data exploration (5). Overall, although there is a wealth of insight and evidence relating communication and beliefs, it tends to be scattered because of emphasis on particular subprocesses rather than emphasis on the whole.Sociologist Robert Merton [ref. 6, pp. 52-53 (emphasis in original)] argued that "theories of the middle range hold the largest promise, provided that the search for them is coupled with a pervasive concern with consolidating special theories into more general sets of concepts and mutually consistent propositions" (6). The current body of research on media selection and impact on beliefs, which has, to date, been relatively circumscribed by focusing attention on subprocesses, would seem to be ripe for a comprehens...

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Section: Patterns Of Selectivity In Media Exposurementioning

confidence: 99%

An integrated model of communication influence on beliefs

Eveland

Cooper

2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…This research suggests that the mass media are the most frequent source for information about science topics (Miller, Augenbraun, Schulhof, & Kimmel, 2006) and that the more sources one relies on, the better his or her climate change knowledge is (Kahlor & Rosenthal, 2009). However, we still know very little about what drives people away from climate change news and, consequently, climate change knowledge.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What, Me Worry? The Role of Affect in Information Seeking and Avoidance

Yang

Kahlor

2012

Science Communication

254

252

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Guided by the risk information-seeking and processing model, this study examines positive and negative affect separately in their influence on informationseeking intentions and avoidance through structural equation analyses. The highlight is that information avoidance seems to be driven by positive affect, while information seeking seems to be more heavily influenced by negative affect. Another interesting finding is that informational subjective norms are positively related to both seeking and avoidance, which suggests that one's social environment has the potential to strongly influence the way he or she handles climate change information. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

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“…This evidence is in agreement with earlier studies by Sparks and his colleagues (Sparks et al, 1997;Sparks & Miller, 2001), who investigated predictors of paranormal beliefs among American adults, and consistent with similar studies conducted among university and high school students (Preece & Baxter, 2000;Tseng et al, 2008). According to a study by Miller, Augenbraun, Schulhof, and Kimmel (2006), the main factor that could predict potential science learning among adults was the level of their attentiveness to science-related issues from mass media. The above-mentioned studies showed that TV exposure had played a major role in predicting the citizens' pseudoscientific beliefs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Exposure to Pseudoscientific Television Programs upon Taiwanese Citizens' Pseudoscientific Beliefs

Tsai

Shein

Jack

et al. 2012

International Journal of Science Education, Part B

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This study investigated the effects of exposure to pseudoscientific television (TV) programs upon Taiwanese citizens' pseudoscientific beliefs. The beliefs and practices of pseudoscience portrayed in the media may misguide the citizens in making life choices that may lead to negative consequences. Participants of this study included 2,024 individuals who were selected using probability proportional to size sampling method. Interviews were conducted and survey data were quantitatively analyzed by means of stepwise multiple regressions and reported with the use of cross tables. Results revealed exposure to pseudoscientific TV programs as a strong predictor of Taiwanese citizens' pseudoscientific beliefs and that younger citizens demonstrate more pseudoscientific beliefs and practices than older citizens. Researchers of this study proposed the need for making better use of mass media as a way to educate citizens about science and reduce pseudoscientific beliefs.

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Adult Science Learning from Local Television Newscasts

Cited by 51 publications

References 11 publications

An integrated model of communication influence on beliefs

An integrated model of communication influence on beliefs

What, Me Worry? The Role of Affect in Information Seeking and Avoidance

Effects of Exposure to Pseudoscientific Television Programs upon Taiwanese Citizens' Pseudoscientific Beliefs

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