Why SSL4ADULTS?

Developing Adults Key Competencies by Improving their Socio-Scientific Literacy

In the 21st century, we are surrounded by complex and ill-structured issues such as combating global climate change, preventing the spread of coronavirus, animal testing for medical purposes, consumption of GMO foods, establishment of nuclear power plants and cloning. Such ambivalent issues are called socio-scientific issues.
 

Due to its controversial nature, individuals entering the decision-making process on these issues make decisions by thinking through many sources of evidence such as the media, family, other people, the discourses of scientific authorities and personal justifications. Risk perceptions, misunderstandings and short-cut bias (i.e. affect heuristic) used in this process inhibit effective decision-making. For example, today many people are hanging back from the Covid-19 vaccination process due to disruptive factors such as misunderstanding, media manipulation and risk perceptions.

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Governments and policymakers aim to make decisions on controversial global and local problems such as pandemics, global warming, consumption of GMO nutrients and vaccine safety by fairly evaluating sources of evidence and questioning the reliability of multiple sources of evidence.