Satterfield, Terre, Conti, Joe, Harthorn, Barbara Herr, Pidgeon, Nicholas Frank ![]() |
Abstract
Communications from scientists and engineers indicate concern about the potential for public aversion to nanotechnologies. Recommendations that policy dialogues occur early and often as public perceptions emerge have followed, and multiple surveys indicate high benefit ratings. This paper explores instead the mobile and conditional quality of current perceptions of the risks and benefits of nanotechnologies, and of judgments of trust in regulation. Drawing from a nationally representative phone survey of 1,100 US residents, we found that presenting risk information after benefit information had a significant impact on acceptability ratings as compared to the reverse order. Trust judgments were also mobile, and interacted with affective predispositions towards nanotechnologies. Overall, for policy purposes and dialogues, we find high attitudinal uncertainty suggesting considerable openness to context-specific considerations as linked to acceptability of new technologies. We also caution against over promotion of benefits and an avoidance of appropriate risk discussions in the short term.
Item Type: | Article |
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Date Type: | Publication |
Status: | Published |
Schools: | Sustainable Places Research Institute (PLACES) Psychology |
Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) Q Science > Q Science (General) |
Uncontrolled Keywords: | Nanotechnologies; perceived risk and benefit; trust and affect; shifting perception; spublic policy dialogues |
Publisher: | Beech Tree Publishing |
ISSN: | 0302-3427 |
Funders: | USNSF |
Last Modified: | 25 Oct 2022 09:12 |
URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/57631 |
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