Trust in Science Among Environmentally Active Youths
Author Information
Author(s): Karin M. Gustafsson
Primary Institution: Örebro University, Sweden
Hypothesis
How do environmentally active youths relate to science in social media and what is their level of trust in science?
Conclusion
The study reveals that environmentally active youths view science as a credible source of knowledge and position themselves as both activists and knowledge producers in the climate change discourse.
Supporting Evidence
- Youths express a strong trust in science as a source of knowledge.
- The study identifies two main roles for youths: as activists and as knowledge producers.
- Both organizations emphasize the importance of scientific knowledge in their messaging.
- Youths are seen as important actors in the climate change discourse.
Takeaway
Young people who care about the environment trust scientists and want to use that knowledge to help fight climate change. They see themselves as both activists and learners.
Methodology
The study uses discourse analysis to examine social media content from two environmental youth organizations over a three-year period.
Limitations
The study focuses only on Facebook posts from two organizations, which may not represent all youth perspectives on science.
Participant Demographics
Youths aged 6-26 involved in Fridays for Future Sweden and Fältbiologerna.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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