Public Perception of Technologies in Society: Mapping Laypeople's Mental Models in Terms of Risk and Valence
Year: 2024
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Analysis, article in RMarkdown, Survey material, data, analysis, and the final article in RMarkdown (article will follow once accepted). Technological developments impact individuals, the society, and our planet. As we continuously evolve technology, we as a society must carefully weigh the benefits and caveats of new technologies. This article quantifies the laypeoples' (N=111) mental models of a broad range of different technologies and technology driven trends in terms of valence, familiarity, perceived risk, and the desire for a societal debate. The article provides: 1) a ranking of various technologies and societal trends in terms of valence, risk, familiarity, and desire for a societal debate, 2) an analysis and comprehensive visual mapping of the relationships that revealed a strong link between risk and valence (r^2=89%) and familiarity and desire for a societal debate (r^2=33%). 3) An analysis of the relatively small influence of user diversity on these attributions. The findings can inform researchers and policy-makers about areas that are particularly relevant for social acceptance and governance of new technologies.
Source: OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints)
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7133164412