The Effect of Family Communication Patterns on Young People's Science Literacy

Given the rapid pace and complexity of science today, science literacy cannot mean understanding all of science. Rather, science literacy more appropriately means the critical evaluation of sources of information and basic standards of scientific performance as a guide to accepting and applying scie...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science communication 2000-12, Vol.22 (2), p.115-132
Main Authors: PINGREE, SUZANNE, HAWKINS, ROBERT P., BOTTA, RENÉE A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Children & youth
Families & family life
Interpersonal communication
Literacy
Science
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Summary:Given the rapid pace and complexity of science today, science literacy cannot mean understanding all of science. Rather, science literacy more appropriately means the critical evaluation of sources of information and basic standards of scientific performance as a guide to accepting and applying scientific knowledge to one's own life. The development of science literacy in children is probably shaped by other norms and experiences. This study examined the impact of family communication patterns on children's evaluations of a science story that contained a number of weaknesses. A family orientation toward concepts led to children's self-reported thinking about science issues when they considered the science information in the story. However, this led to actual critiques of the science in the story only when the concept-orientation was not accompanied by a simultaneous socio-orientation, the family orientation toward harmony and hierarchy.
ISSN:1075-5470
1552-8545
DOI:10.1177/1075547000022002001