Public understanding of science and common sense: Socialrepresentations of the human microbiome among the expert and non-expertpublic

摘要

The aim of this investigation is to examine the structure and the content ofdifferent social groups’ representations of the human microbiome. We employed anon-probabilistic sample comprising two groups of participants. The first group(  = 244) included university students. The second groupincluded lay people (  = 355). We chose a mixed-methodapproach. The data obtained were processed using IRaMuTeQ software. The resultsallow us to identify the anchoring and objectification processes activated bythe two different groups of interviewees. The results could be useful to thosein charge of implementing campaigns aimed at promoting health literacy.