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Should I trust or should I go? How people perceive and assess the quality of science communication to avoid fake news

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea Rubin

    (Observa Science in Society)

  • Sonia Brondi

    (Ca’ Foscari University of Venice)

  • Giuseppe Pellegrini

    (Observa Science in Society)

Abstract

This paper investigates how citizens of five European countries (Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, and Spain) enquire about scientific issues, how they rate scientific information on climate change and vaccines in terms of quantity and quality, and their strategies for overcoming perceived defects. We conducted a public consultation involving almost 500 citizens and addressed controversial science-related topics. Discussions were qualitatively content analyzed. The public consultations revealed the prevalence of traditional media as a source of scientific information, and the results presented a general perception of inadequate, imprecise, and insufficient scientific communication. Finally, we show how traditional media are still the most frequently used channels and that personal criteria prevail in the evaluation of the reliability of information sources.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Rubin & Sonia Brondi & Giuseppe Pellegrini, 2023. "Should I trust or should I go? How people perceive and assess the quality of science communication to avoid fake news," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 57(5), pages 4455-4476, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:qualqt:v:57:y:2023:i:5:d:10.1007_s11135-022-01569-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s11135-022-01569-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Niels Mejlgaard & Carter Bloch, 2012. "Science in Society in Europe," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 39(6), pages 695-700, December.
    2. João Pedro Baptista & Anabela Gradim, 2020. "Understanding Fake News Consumption: A Review," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-22, October.
    3. Robert P. Crease, 2019. "The rise and fall of scientific authority — and how to bring it back," Nature, Nature, vol. 567(7748), pages 309-310, March.
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