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      Who wants to be a citizen scientist? Identifying the potential of citizen science and target segments in Switzerland

      , 1 , 2
      Public Understanding of Science
      SAGE Publications

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          Abstract

          Driven by the proliferation of digital media, citizen science – the involvement of non-scientists in scientific research – represents one of the most important recent developments in science communication as it brings science and the public closer together. So far, however, citizen science projects have mostly attracted people that are highly educated, mostly male and already have very positive attitudes towards science. Based on nationally representative survey data ( N = 1051), our study explores the potential of citizen science in Switzerland. Using regression analysis, we show that attitudes towards science are significant antecedents of respondents’ interest in participating in citizen science – but that gender and education are not. In addition, latent class analysis identifies five segments, representing over one-third of the Swiss population, who are interested in citizen science and could potentially be engaged: ‘Free-Timers’, ‘Senior Sciencephiles’, ‘Young Sciencephiles’, ‘Intrigued Adolescents’ and ‘Fully Employed Parents’. Additional description suggests that previously overlooked segments are best addressed online via YouTube or offline in zoos or botanical gardens. Overall, our analysis suggests that citizen science’s potential is far higher than previous projects were able to realize.

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          Time to retire the theory of planned behaviour.

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            Can citizen science enhance public understanding of science?

            Over the past 20 years, thousands of citizen science projects engaging millions of participants in collecting and/or processing data have sprung up around the world. Here we review documented outcomes from four categories of citizen science projects which are defined by the nature of the activities in which their participants engage - Data Collection, Data Processing, Curriculum-based, and Community Science. We find strong evidence that scientific outcomes of citizen science are well documented, particularly for Data Collection and Data Processing projects. We find limited but growing evidence that citizen science projects achieve participant gains in knowledge about science knowledge and process, increase public awareness of the diversity of scientific research, and provide deeper meaning to participants' hobbies. We also find some evidence that citizen science can contribute positively to social well-being by influencing the questions that are being addressed and by giving people a voice in local environmental decision making. While not all citizen science projects are intended to achieve a greater degree of public understanding of science, social change, or improved science -society relationships, those projects that do require effort and resources in four main categories: (1) project design, (2) outcomes measurement, (3) engagement of new audiences, and (4) new directions for research.
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              Dispositional and Organizational Influences on Sustained Volunteerism: An Interactionist Perspective

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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Public Understanding of Science
                Public Underst Sci
                SAGE Publications
                0963-6625
                1361-6609
                June 04 2019
                August 2019
                June 06 2019
                August 2019
                : 28
                : 6
                : 652-668
                Affiliations
                [1 ]University of Zurich, Switzerland
                [2 ]Université de Fribourg, Switzerland
                Article
                10.1177/0963662519852020
                31169062
                f3ba1a76-3ab2-4250-af73-1d582a11244f
                © 2019

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