Improving the usability of research on the public perception of science and technology for policy-making

Studies on public reactions to science and technology may help policy makers who seek to involve the public in decision making on issues related to technological or scientific complexity. The paper seeks to understand how research on public reactions to science and technology can be used, addressing the following questions: What is good quality research? Which research offers data that are most useful for decision makers ? An evaluation of the approaches used both in research on public reactions and in policy decisions shows that the general public can be considered in different roles; specific dimensions of those roles include the passive vs. active citizen-consumer, and the non-attentive vs. participative citizen. The paper presents a typology which links the research and policy approaches. It concludes that, in order to increase the usability of research on public reactions, the research and policy approaches should match. Equally important, researchers and policy makers should question their assumptions on the public's role rather than take their own assumptions for granted.