Forecasting science futures: Legitimising hope and calming fears in the embryo stem cell debate

Kitzinger, Jenny; Williams, Curtis A.

doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.03.018

Cited by 109 publications

(117 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Previous analyses of media coverage in this area have also highlighted the distinction made between therapeutic cloning as "good" and reproductive cloning as "bad" (Petersen, 2001) and also examined the types of rhetorical devices used in the debate surrounding the use of stem cells and contrasting views of future developments (Kitzinger and Williams, 2005). Media analysis on other genetic issues has shown differences in the construction of the "gay gene" between the US media, where this was presented as good science and treated with cautious optimism, and the UK media which presented the research as the "perils of the gay gene" (Conrad and Markens, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards an understanding of British public attitudes concerning human cloning

Shepherd

Barnett

Cooper

et al. 2007

Social Science & Medicine

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The ability of scientists to apply cloning technology to humans has provoked public discussion and media coverage. The present paper reports on a series of studies examining public attitudes to human cloning, bringing together a range of quantitative and qualitative methods to address this question. These included a nationally representative survey, an experimental vignette study, focus groups and analyses of media coverage. In all of the analyses therapeutic cloning was viewed more favourably than was reproductive cloning. However, while participants in the focus groups were generally negative about both forms of cloning, and this was also reflected in the media analyses, quantitative results showed more positive responses. In the quantitative research, therapeutic cloning was generally accepted when the benefits of such procedures were clear and although reproductive cloning was less accepted there was still substantial support. Participants in the focus groups only differentiated between therapeutic and reproductive cloning after the issue of therapeutic cloning was explicitly raised; initially they saw cloning as being reproductive cloning and saw no real benefits. Attitudes were shown to be related to underlying values related to scientific progress rather than to age, gender or education, and although there were a few differences in the quantitative data based on religious affiliation, these tended to be small effects. Likewise in the focus groups there was little direct appeal to religion but the main themes were "interfering with nature" and the "status of the embryo", with the latter being used more effectively to try to close down further discussion. In general there was a close correspondence between the media analysis and focus group responses, possibly demonstrating the importance of media as a resource or that the media reflect public discourse accurately. However, focus group responses did not simply reflect media coverage. Abstract word count: 293

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards an understanding of British public attitudes concerning human cloning

Shepherd

Barnett

Cooper

et al. 2007

Social Science & Medicine

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“…Our review of the articles of the major social science journals and books showed that analysis of the media coverage linked to stem cells has been reported from a number of countries, although most articles reported on data from the UK and the US and we found no articles for example from post-socialist countries (Augoustinos et al, 2009;Chekar & Kitzinger, 2007;Giarelli, 2006;Haran et al, 2008;Jurberg et al, 2009;Kitzinger, 2008b;Kitzinger & Williams, 2005;Kruvand & Hwang, 2007;Leydesdorff & Hellsten, 2005;Nisbet et al, 2003;Reis, 2008;Schäfer, 2009;Weingart et al, 2008;Williams et al, 2003). Part of this literature discussed the coverage of the Hwang scandal, while another part analyzed the presentation of stem cell research without focusing on this event.…”

Section: Previous Research On Social Scientific Aspects Of Stem Cell mentioning

confidence: 72%

Costs and Benefits of Stem Cell Research and Treatment: Media Presentation and Audience Understanding in Hungary

Vicsek

2010

Science Communication

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This study examined the press coverage and audience understanding of the costs and benefits of stem cell research/treatment in Hungary. A content analysis of five newspapers and a focus group study was conducted. The way participants talked about the costs and benefits in many aspects echoed the dominant framing of the issue in the press (medical benefits = main benefit, high expense of treatment = dominant negative aspect). Even though participants applied analogical reasoning to formulate some risks that were missing from the reporting on stem cells, many gaps of the media coverage were echoed in gaps in lay discussions.

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“…These benefits may be attributed to the ability of such policies to drive intellectual capital infrastructure [2]. Research also suggests the representation of scientific and medical issues in the traditional media, such as newspapers, TV and radio, is an important determinant of public opinion and related public policy outcomes [3]. The efficacy of public polices advancing human embryonic stem cell research is subject to ongoing discourse in traditional media and also in social media sites, including blogs, Facebook and Twitter.…”

Section: Stem Cell Research and Public Policymentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Media & Stem Cell Science: Examining the Discourse

2011

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Research suggests that the representation of scientific and medical issues in the traditional media such as newspapers, TV and radio is an important determinant of public opinion and related public policy outcomes, particularly with regard to attitudes toward stem cell research. With the emergence of social media, the discursive space around public policy issues has expanded to include a new demographic of media consumer who is directly involved in political action. However, little is known about the influence of social media on scientific public policy conversations. We analyzed Twitter posts on two topics relating to stem cell science and policy according to the originator and tone of the tweet, and whether the tweet was intended to be neutral or to further a stated policy position. This analysis provides a means for clarifying the role of social media in influencing public opinion of policy issues such as stem cell research and offers organizations a better understanding of how to more effectively apply social media to advancing their stem cell policy positions.

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Forecasting science futures: Legitimising hope and calming fears in the embryo stem cell debate

Cited by 109 publications

References 16 publications

Towards an understanding of British public attitudes concerning human cloning

Towards an understanding of British public attitudes concerning human cloning

Costs and Benefits of Stem Cell Research and Treatment: Media Presentation and Audience Understanding in Hungary

Social Media & Stem Cell Science: Examining the Discourse

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