TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparing the knowledge gap hypothesis in the United States and Singapore: The case of nanotechnology
AU - Ho, Shirley S.
AU - Looi, Jiemin
AU - Leung, Yan Wah
AU - Bekalu, Mesfin Awoke
AU - Viswanath, Kasisomayajula
N1 - Funding information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the NTU-HSPH Initiative for Sustainable Nanotechnology (Grant Number 17002).
Publisher copyright:
© The Author(s) 2020.
PY - 2020/11
Y1 - 2020/11
N2 - This study examines the knowledge gap hypothesis in the United States and Singapore in the context of nanotechnology. This study proposes that academic discipline serves as a better indicator than education levels in predicting nanotechnology knowledge gaps. To reflect the contemporary media landscape, this study examines how attention to online media and documentaries alongside traditional news outlets affect individuals’ nanotechnology knowledge. In both countries, online media and documentaries, as well as traditional news outlets, were related to nanotechnology knowledge to various extents. While the knowledge gap hypothesis was not observed in Singapore, results revealed that increased media attention and interpersonal discussion widened knowledge gaps between individuals from science and non-science disciplines in the United States. Education levels failed to reveal a consistent moderation effect. Taken together, the interaction analyses revealed that academic discipline predicted nanotechnology knowledge gaps more consistently than education levels in the United States. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
AB - This study examines the knowledge gap hypothesis in the United States and Singapore in the context of nanotechnology. This study proposes that academic discipline serves as a better indicator than education levels in predicting nanotechnology knowledge gaps. To reflect the contemporary media landscape, this study examines how attention to online media and documentaries alongside traditional news outlets affect individuals’ nanotechnology knowledge. In both countries, online media and documentaries, as well as traditional news outlets, were related to nanotechnology knowledge to various extents. While the knowledge gap hypothesis was not observed in Singapore, results revealed that increased media attention and interpersonal discussion widened knowledge gaps between individuals from science and non-science disciplines in the United States. Education levels failed to reveal a consistent moderation effect. Taken together, the interaction analyses revealed that academic discipline predicted nanotechnology knowledge gaps more consistently than education levels in the United States. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
KW - knowledge gap hypothesis
KW - mass media
KW - nanotechnology
KW - public opinion
KW - risk perception
UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85090109056&origin=resultslist&sort=plf-f&src=s&sid=d97748dd7273dcc159cb5f8eb3dcbb0f&sot=b&sdt=b&s=DOI%2810.1177%2F0963662520952547%29&sl=45&sessionSearchId=d97748dd7273dcc159cb5f8eb3dcbb0f
U2 - 10.1177/0963662520952547
DO - 10.1177/0963662520952547
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0963-6625
VL - 29
SP - 835
EP - 854
JO - Public Understanding of Science
JF - Public Understanding of Science
IS - 8
ER -