MOTIVATIONAL CONSUMPTION OF SCIENCE NEWS

Abstract

The quality of life is closely related to scientific discoveries and technological innovations. People who possess extensive scientific knowledge or understand the nature of technology know how they can reduce all kinds of risk from their living environment and improve the quality of their lives. Most people, while lacking direct experience, acquire science-related information mainly through news coverage in mass media. However, media coverage of science is not always accurate and has no doubt disseminated bias and misconceptions in the process. Moreover, science news coverage can be difficult to understand, resulting in a lack of interest from the public. A review of the literature shows that previous studies focused either on the media representation of certain scientific events or issues or on the correctness of media coverage. Consumption of science news was rarely studied. The research tradition of uses and gratifications provides a solid theoretical basis for our understanding of how people are motivated to consume science news and how motivations are related to news consumption behavior. A telephone survey was conducted to examine the relationships between motivations of consuming science news and consumption of science news. The significance of research findings and their implications will then be discussed.