Sciences public perceptions

Still, some members of the lay public are clearly skeptical of science and scientists, as indicated by the view of the profession presented on the cover of a national magazine in Figure 6.110 Although we may be assured that scientists as a group are no more deficient in morals than, say, cartoonists, it is important to understand the basis of public perceptions and to examine the practical implications for laboratory management. Industrial products are very widely distributed and many are used intimately. There are real consequences that can arise from a serious error in manufacture or design, as illustrated by the case of L-tryptophan. 

Because of the asymmetry of power between science and occultism, and the ever-growing public faith in the authority of science, the members of a borderland institution like the Alchemical Society had to work self-consciously to solidify its public perception as a scientific society. But the subject of the Society—alchemy—already enjoyed considerable prestige in the occult community. So the Alchemical Society used the impressive scientific and educational credentials of its membership as part of its self-validation in the eyes of the scientific world and the broader public. Most formal mentions by the Journal of its members (either as authors of papers or as participants in the... 

Tait, J. 1988. Public perceptions of biotechnology hazards. J. Chem. Technol. Biotechnol. 43, 363-372. Tversky, A. and Kahneman, D. 1981. The framing of decisions and the rationality of choice. Science 211, 453 158. 

Hank C. Jenkins-Smith is professor of public policy at the George H.W. Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A M University in College Station. He holds the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long Chair of Business and Government at the Bush School. He was previously professor of political science and director of the Institute for Public Policy at the University of New Mexico. Professor Jenkins-Smith s areas of research include science and technology policy, environmental policy, public perceptions of environmental and technical risks, and national security policy. Professor Jenkins-Smith has written books on the public policy process and policy analysis and has served on a number of committees for the National Research Council. 

Adler, P.S. 2002. Science, politics, and problem solving Principles and practices for the resolution of environmental disputes in the midst of advancing technology, uncertain or changing science, and volatile public perceptions. Penn. St. Environ. Law Rev. 10(2) 323-343. 

Weinstein, N.D. 1986. Public Perceptions of Environmental Hazards Study 1 Final Report Statewide Poll of Environmental Perceptions. Trenton, NJ New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Science and Research. 

Driver, J.H. and C.E. Wilkinson (1996). Pesticides and Human Health Science, Regulation and Public Perception, in Risk Assessment and Management Handbook for Environmental Health and Safety Professionals, R.V. Kalluro, S.M. Bartell, R.M. Pitblado and R.S. Stricoff (Eds), McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 7.1-7.35. 

Mass Media s Effect on Public Perceptions of Pesticide Risk Understanding Media and Improving Science Sources... 

Ground Water and Soil Contamination Remediation Toward Compatible Science, Policy, and Public Perception... 

The story of yeast research raises some important questions, therefore. It leads us to question public perception of the terms natural and unnatural technological and traditional . Where is the dividing line between natural and unnatural in the context of yeast and wine research, and indeed, science as a whole ... 

The public perception of the infallibility of science that is expected to have all the correct answers to any technical question A layperson correctly assumes scientific analyses and responses to be based exclusively on facts. The expectation therefore is that all scientists will agree on the assessment and the response to a given environmental issue. But scientists often disagree on even the very fundamental issues such as if global warming is really under way or not. Laypeople do not fully appreciate... 

Scientists perceptions of risk, one study after the next suggests, can be at serious odds with those held by members of the public. Research commissioned on public perceptions of risk by Britain s Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (1996), for example, provides a series of pertinent insights. In addition to the actual size of the risk, a variety of different factors are identified which appear to influence public perceptions ... 

Walsh, W.J. 1990. Making Science, Policy, and Public Perception Compatible A Legal/Policy Summary, or Do We Want to Clean Up Hazardous Sites or Just Scream and Yell at Each Other. Pp. 206-249 in Ground Water and Soil Contamination Remediation Toward Compatible Science, Policy, and Public Perception. Report on a Colloquium Sponsored by the Water, Science and Technology Board. Washington, D.C. National Academy Press. 

The selection of the topics that are covered in THE CONCISE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FOODS AND NUTRITION was based on the authors professional experiences and perceptions relative to the needs of consumers, with application to many related fields, including medicine, dentistry, nursing, dietetics, teaching, nutritional science, public health, athletics, homemaking, and food production, processing, distribution and marketing. As the authors selected and treated each of the subjects, they were guided by the simple question "Is it helpful " If the answer was in the affirmative, they proceeded with the philosophy of "let the chips fall w ere they may," no matter how complex or how controversial the subject. Also, the authors were ever aware that some contemporary interests are transient so, they strived to achieve a balance between the timely and the timeless. 

Focusing on the science, and not the conflict, would have changed the perception of this issue. Actually, a breakdown product of daminozide that forms in water (1,1-dimethylhydrazine)—not the chemical itself—has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. In 1986, a fact sheet was produced indicating that there were no restrictions on the use of Alar for registered food crops such as those listed above. However, based partly on public concerns from media reports, the U.S. ERA officially banned Alar from use on any food crops in 1992. Although the decision to ban Alar from use on food crops was the safe decision, the manner in which it was reached was based on public perception from media reports. 

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