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Gender Differences in Interest in Contemporary Science Topics

February 1, 2001 | Media and Technology
As part of a focus group exploratory study into the feasibility of presenting to the public an on-going review of new findings or issues in major fields of science research, 128 adult participants noted which two of ten contemporary science research areas they were most interested in. Of note is the fact that all classification variables (except gender) were unrelated to topic appeal. Interest in each research topic was not influenced by age; educational level; minority/majority grouping; total household income; occupational status; and perceived need for science knowledge in one's employment. Tentatively, we could conclude that the audience for contemporary science information is more homogeneous than media analysts might predict. However, recognition of the strong gender influence is important to recognize in designing effective media presentations for public understanding of current science research.

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  • 2013 06 04 B Flagg Photo
    Author
    Multimedia Research
  • Citation

    Publication Name: The Leading Edge: Enhancing the Public Understanding of Research: Conference Proceedings at Museum of Science, Boston

    Funders

    NSF
    Funding Program: ISE
    Award Number: 0003893
    Resource Type: Reference Materials | Evaluation Reports | Audience Study
    Discipline: General STEM
    Audience: Adults | General Public | Educators/Teachers | Museum/ISE Professionals | Evaluators | Learning Researchers
    Environment Type: Media and Technology | Broadcast Media | Websites, Mobile Apps, and Online Media
    Access and Inclusion: Women and Girls

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