Analyzing and Examining the Public Understanding of Nanotechnology among University Students

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 National Research Institute for Science Policy, Tehran, Iran.

2 Researcher at Technology Studies Institute, Tehran, Iran

10.22034/jstp.2021.14.2.1347

Abstract

Public understanding of science and technology is influential in the success and development of technology in society. Therefore, studying the knowledge and attitude of people towards science and technology is very important. Meanwhile, nanotechnology is considered as a technology with tremendous potential to produce a diverse range of products in various fields. Therefore, public understanding of this technology will be effective in its development. The main purpose of this study is to provide a framework for analyzing and evaluating the public understanding of nanotechnology in Iran based on various dimensions and conduct a survey in this field. The present research is descriptive and to conduct it, library studies (to identify different dimensions and provide a public understanding of nanotechnology) and survey (to implement the guide based on the proposed framework) have been used. The survey tools were also interviews and questionnaires, which include a set of indicators of public understanding of science and technology. Finally, the results of the present study in each of the dimensions of proposed framework were compared with the results of different studies and the differences and similarities regarding the achievements of different studies were presented. The results show that there is a difference between students' perceptions of the risks and benefits of nanotechnology and also the degree of familiarity of students in different fields with nanotechnology; Also, among the demographic variables, gender and religious orientation were among the variables affecting familiarity and trust in nanotechnology, respectively.
 
 

Keywords

References

[1] Burce, L. V. (2006). Assessing Models of Public Understanding in ELSI Outreach Materials. Cornell University.
[2] Rabbani, A., & Rabbani, R., & Hemmati, R., & Ghazi Tabatabaie, M., & Vedadhir, A. (2011). New Modes of Knowledge Productions and Doing Science: A Sociological Reflection on Shift in Ethical Standards and Scientific Conduct in the Epoch of Technoscience. Ethics in Science & Technology, 6(1), 12-24. {In Persian}
[3] Tavakkol, M. (1994). Formal and Content Parameters of Technology Transfer: A Problem in the Sociology of Science and Technology. Journal of Social Science Letter, 7 (7), 109-116. {In Persian}
[4] Metcalfe, J., & Riedlinger, M. (2019). Public understanding of science: Popularisation, perceptions and publics. In The Routledge Handbook of Language and Science (pp. 32-46). Routledge.
[5] Venn, T. M., & Mitchell, P. (2005). Biotechnology in Canada: A Technology Platform for Growth. Canada: The Conference Board of Canada.
[6] Ghaneirad, M., Morshedi, A. (2011). Survey of Public Understanding of Science and Technology; Pilot Study in Tehran. Journal of Science and Technology Policy, 3(3), 93-103. {In Persian}
[7] Vernon, M. (2020). The Public Understanding of Biology: A Journalist’s Perspective. In Rethinking Biology: Public Understandings (pp. 323-331).
[8] Mukherjee, A., Maity, A., Pramanik, P., Shubha, K., Joshi, D. C., & Wani, S. H. (2019). Public Perception about Use of Nanotechnology in Agriculture. In Advances in Phytonanotechnology (pp. 405-418). Academic Press.
[9] Siegrist, M., Cousin, M. E., Kastenholz, H., & Wiek, A. (2007). Public Acceptance of Nanotechnology Foods and Food Packaging: The Influence of Affect and Trust. Appetite, 49(2), 459-466.
[10] Shaebani, M., Razeghi, N. (2020). Scientific Citizenship: A Study of the Understanding and Public Engagement of Science and Technology. Journal of Science and Technology Policy, 13(2), 41-53. doi: 10.22034/jstp.2020.12.2.1200 11. . {In Persian}
[11] Ghaneirad, M., Tabatabaei, M. (2015). Public Attitudes to Science and Technology among Citizens of Tehran. Journal of Science and Technology Policy, 8(1), 83-94. {In Persian}
[12] Nanotechnology Headquarters (2021).  Available from: https://statnano.com/country/iran. {In Persian}
[13] Ghazinoory, S., & Heydari, E. (2008). Potential Impacts of Nanotechnology Development in Iran. IEEE technology and society magazine, 27(4), 37-44.
[14] Rezaeian, F. S., & Ghazinoory. S. (2011). Modeling the role of ethics in success of knowledge management systems. Journal of Science and Technology Policy, 3(2), 65-80. {In Persian}
[15] Mehrvision (2020), Performance Report on The Development of Nanotechnology in Iran in 1398-1399. {In Persian}
[16] Besley, J. (2010). Current Research on Public Perceptions of Nanotechnology. Emerging Health Threats Journal, 3. doi:10.3134/ehtj.10.164
[17] Priest, S. (2006). The North American Opinion Climate for Nanotechnology and Its Products: Opportunities and Challenges. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 8(5), 563-568.
[18] Scheufele, D. A., & Lewenstein, B. V. (2005). The Public and Nanotechnology: How Citizens Make Sense of Emerging Technologies. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 7(6), 659-667.   
[19] Lee, C. J., Scheufele, D. A., & Lewenstein, B. V. (2005). Public Attitudes toward Emerging Technologies: Examining the Interactive Effects of Cognitions and Affect on Public Attitudes toward Nanotechnology. Science Communication, 27(2), 240-267.
[20] Miller, J. D. (2004). Public Understanding of, and Attitudes toward, Scientific Research: What We Know and What We Need to Know. Public Understanding of Science, 13(3), 273-294.
[21] Priest, S. (2001). Misplaced Faith: Communication Variables as Predictors of Encouragement for Biotechnology Development. Science Communication, 23 (2), 97-110.
[22] Peter D. H. (2008). Awareness of and Attitudes toward Nanotechnology and Synthetic Biology (A Report of Findings). Washington: The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
[23] Gaskell, G., Ten Eyck, T., Jackson, J., & Veltri, G. (2005). Imagining Nanotechnology: Cultural Support for Technological Innovation in Europe and the United States. Public Underestanding of Science, 14(1), 81-90.
[24] Smith, S. E. S., Hosgood, H. D., Michelson, E. S., & Stowe, M. H. (2008). Americans' Nanotechnology Risk Perception: Assessing Opinion Change. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 12(3), 459-473.
[25] Amin, L., Jahi, J. M., Nor, A. R. M., Osman, M. O. H. A. M. A. D., & Mahadi, N. M. (2008, December). Malaysian Public Attitude towards Several Modern Biotechnology Applications. In Proceedings of the 6th WSEAS Int. Conference on Environment, Ecosystems and Development (EED’08), Malaysia (pp. 54-62).
[26] Vandermoere, F., Blanchemanche, S., Bieberstein, A., Marette, S., & Roosen, J. (2011). The Public Understanding of Nanotechnology in the Food Domain: The Hidden Role of Views on Science, Technology, and Nature. Public Understanding of Science, 20(2), 195-206.
[26] Farshchi, P., Sadrnezhaad, S. K., Nejad, N. M., Mahmoodi, M., & Abadi, L. I. G. (2011). Nanotechnology in the Public Eye: The Case of Iran, As a Developing Country. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 13(8), 3511-3519.
[28] Amin, L., Hashim, H., Sidik, N. M., Zainol, Z. A., & Anuar, N. (2011). Public Attitude towards Modern Biotechnology. African Journal of Biotechnology, 10(58), 12409-12417.
[29] Cobb, M. D., & Macoubrie, J. (2020). Public Perceptions about Nanotechnology: Risks, Benefits and Trust. In Emerging Technologies: Ethics, Law And Governance (pp. 197-207). Routledge.
[30] Savadori, L., Savio, S., Nicotra, E., Rumiati, R., Finucane, M. L., & Slovic, P. (2013). Expert and Public Perception of Risk from Biotechnology. In The Feeling of Risk (pp. 273-288). Routledge.
[31] Earle, T. C., Siegrist, M., & Gutscher, H. (Eds.). (2010). Trust in Risk Management: Uncertainty and Scepticism in the Public Mind. Earthscan.
[32] Moon, W., & Balasubramanian, S. K. (2004). Public Attitudes toward Agrobiotechnology: The Mediating Role of Risk Perceptions on the Impact of Trust, Awareness, and Outrage. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 26(2), 186-208.
[33] Simonneaux, L., Panissal, N., & Brossais, E. (2013). Students’ Perception of Risk about Nanotechnology after an SAQ Teaching Strategy. International Journal of Science Education, 35(14), 2376-2406.
[34] Wolf, M. M., Bertolini, P., Shikama, I., & Berger, A. (2012). A Comparison of Attitudes toward Food and Biotechnology in the US, Japan, and Italy. Journal of Food Distribution Research, 43(1), 103-112.
[35] Besley, J. C., Kramer, V. L., & Priest, S. H. (2008). Expert Opinion on Nanotechnology: Risks, Benefits, and Regulation. Journal of nanoparticle research, 10(4), 549-558.
[36] Kishimoto, A., Takai, T., & Wakamatsu, H. (2010). Public Perception of Nanotechnologies in Japan from 2005 to 2009. National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.
[37] Burri, R. V., & Bellucci, S. (2008). Public Perception of Nanotechnology. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 10(3), 387-391.
[38] Retzbach, A., Marschall, J., Rahnke, M., Otto, L., & Maier, M. (2011). Public Understanding of Science and the Perception of Nanotechnology: The Roles of Interest in Science, Methodological Knowledge, Epistemological Beliefs, and Beliefs about Science. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 13(12), 6231-6244.
[39] Kamarulzaman, N. A., Lee, K. E., Siow, K. S., & Mokhtar, M. (2020). Public Benefit and Risk Perceptions of Nanotechnology Development: Psychological and Sociological Aspects. Technology in Society, 62, 101329.
[40] Joubert, I.A., Geppert, M., Ess, S., Nestelbacher, R., Gadermaier, G., Duschl, A., Bathke, A.C. and Himly, M. (2020). Public Perception and Knowledge on Nanotechnology: A Study Based On a Citizen Science Approach. NanoImpact, 17, 100201.
 

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics