Build Trust, Engage People to Increase Understanding of Science

摘要

From the 1960s through the mid-1980s, the term "scientific literacy," focused on public knowledge of science, came into vogue. From 1985 to the mid-1990s, the term "public understanding of science (PUS)," focused on public attitudes toward science, became the new paradigm. Both are so-called "deficit models," in which researchers assume that the public is deficient in knowledge, attitude, or trust. From 1995 to the present, the focus has shifted to the deficits of the scientists in communicating with the public, with public engagement the perceived way to rebuild public trust and achieve a social consensus on controversial scientific issues.1 Education is only a part of the solution, as a recent meta-analysis across cultures showed a small positive correlation between knowledge and attitudes.