Susanna Hornig Priest

Susanna Hornig PriestSpeaker abstract

"The Roles of Values, Beliefs, and Trust in Shaping Attitudes and Opinions About Science and Technology "
However important improved public understanding of science might be, it is only part of the picture of how society reacts to new developments in science and technology, especially when controversy breaks out. Extensive research supports strong roles for values, beliefs and trust, arguably stronger factors in many cases than the role of science literacy by itself.

For example, people may oppose embryonic stem cell research because they believe the embryo has a right to live. They may oppose agricultural biotechnology because they do not trust large corporations or want to preserve family farms, which they see as threatened by this trend. They may oppose nuclear power because they do not believe assurances from government or industry that it is safe. And they may reject evolution on religious grounds even though they understand what the theory has to say. Even wind-generated power may be opposed on aesthetic grounds. In seeking public support for science and technology, we need to move beyond the common assumption that it is only knowledge deficits that must be addressed.

Biography

Susanna Hornig Priest is a Professor in the School of Environmental and Public Affairs, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She has written widely about her research concerning issues of public understanding of science and the media's role in this context. She also edits the journal Science Communication, which publishes empirical studies of the discussion, dissemination and understanding of science across various publics. She has recently edited a two-volume encyclopedia of science and technology, and her new book on public perception and risk communication for nanotechnology is currently forthcoming.