Research Agenda
My research program focuses on the nexus of agricultural literacy, science literacy, and media literacy and answers the central question of “How do these literacies influence the public’s attitudes and behaviors within the context of agriculture and natural resources (ANR)?” The media landscape we know today has changed drastically over the last 20 years with the emergence of the internet, opinion journalism, and social media. People have more choices than ever before to pick and choose where they receive information. However, the increase in media selectivity has been accused of leading to greater gaps in knowledge regarding scientific topics. If the public is only exposed to certain ideological positions regarding scientific issues, they will have a difficult time making informed choices related to policy and personal decisions. Even more troublesome is that selective media exposure may lead to members of the public labeling opinions or research counter to their own beliefs as false while continuously reaffirming their own positions, thus
engaging in echo chambers. The formation and effects of echo chambers in relation to polarized issues in science and technology are of particular interest to me, especially considering how they can contribute to the spread of misinformation and influence the public’s attitudes and behaviors.
​
Understanding how to communicate with audiences who are making decisions based on feelings, misinformation, and limited information will be crucial to the future of ANR science communication. Due to the complex nature of this topic, it is also critical to assess the roles of agricultural literacy and science literacy in how consumers make decisions and form attitudes and explore how they interact with media literacy to develop effective communication. Within this context, literacy is not simply referring to knowledge alone, but also appreciation and application. Therefore, my research explores the concepts of media literacy, science literacy, and agricultural literacy through multiple approaches – including testing the effects of media literacy on consumer behaviors/attitudes, exploring curricula to increase agricultural literacy in youth, and developing programs to enhance scientists’ science communication skills to address science literacy concerns. This multifaceted approach would allow us to address concerns of echo chambers, not just amongst the public but in academia as well. The roles of source credibility, the spiral of silence, confirmation bias, uses and gratifications, expectancy-value theory, need for cognition, and theory of planned behavior will be important research areas to explore in their relation to how media literacy, science literacy, and agricultural literacy interact and inform the public’s attitudes and decisions related to ANR.