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Values, Information, and Mass Media: Examining Routes of Influence on Public Opinion About Stem Cell Research
Unformatted Document Text:  Values, Information, and Mass Media - 1 VALUES, INFORMATION, AND MASS MEDIA: EXAMINING ROUTES OF INFLUENCE ON PUBLIC OPINION ABOUT STEM CELL RESEARCH ABSTRACT Based on a conceptual model using theorizing from political, science, and risk communication, this study examines the direct and indirect effects of value predispositions, news media use, institutional trust, and scientific knowledge on general support for stem cell research and on support for human embryonic stem cell research. Regression path analysis based on data from a national three-wave panel survey conducted between 2002 and 2005 showed that religiosity, ideology, and deference to scientific authority had direct effects on general support for stem cell research, and for some of these value predispositions, parts of their effects were mediated by (a) institutional trust (the ‘heuristic’ route) and by (b) news media use and scientific knowledge (the ‘informational’ route). Conversely, although religiosity, ideology, deference to scientific authority, and authoritarian views of democratic processes in science directly influenced support for human embryonic stem cell research, most of their indirect effects were mediated by institutional trust, suggesting that citizens rely solely on the ‘heuristic’ route instead of the ‘informational’ route to form judgments when it comes to the more morally-loaded criterion variable. Implications for policymaking are discussed. KEYWORDS: value predispositions; mass media; scientific knowledge; attitudes; stem cell research

Authors: Ho, Shirley., Brossard, Dominique. and Scheufele, Dietram.
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Values, Information, and Mass Media -
1
VALUES, INFORMATION, AND MASS MEDIA:
EXAMINING ROUTES OF INFLUENCE ON PUBLIC OPINION ABOUT
STEM CELL RESEARCH
ABSTRACT
Based on a conceptual model using theorizing from political, science, and risk
communication, this study examines the direct and indirect effects of value
predispositions, news media use, institutional trust, and scientific knowledge on general
support for stem cell research and on support for human embryonic stem cell research.
Regression path analysis based on data from a national three-wave panel survey
conducted between 2002 and 2005 showed that religiosity, ideology, and deference to
scientific authority had direct effects on general support for stem cell research, and for
some of these value predispositions, parts of their effects were mediated by (a)
institutional trust (the ‘heuristic’ route) and by (b) news media use and scientific
knowledge (the ‘informational’ route). Conversely, although religiosity, ideology,
deference to scientific authority, and authoritarian views of democratic processes in
science directly influenced support for human embryonic stem cell research, most of their
indirect effects were mediated by institutional trust, suggesting that citizens rely solely on
the ‘heuristic’ route instead of the ‘informational’ route to form judgments when it comes
to the more morally-loaded criterion variable. Implications for policymaking are
discussed.
KEYWORDS: value predispositions; mass media; scientific knowledge; attitudes; stem
cell research


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