Genetics and Stigma: The Role of Mass Media

遗传学和耻辱：大众媒体的作用

• 批准号: 7031383
• 负责人: JO C PHELAN
• 金额: $ 28.18万
• 依托单位: COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-09-01 至 2008-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7031383
• 关键词: attitude; belief; clinical research; genetics; heart; human; obesity; role; schizophrenia

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): New information from the mapping of the human genome has the potential to significantly alter the way we view and react to individuals and groups. At the same time, our reactions to this new information will be shaped by the manner in which it is presented to and understood by the public and by existing attitudes about the groups to whom the information applies. The proposed research examines the impact of human genomic research on existing forms of stigma. Acknowledging the importance of the mass media in communicating genomic research to the public, we formed a collaboration between experts in stigma and communications to examine not only the content of information being disseminated to the public through the news media but also how the public understands and responds to that information. We focus on three stigma-related characteristics (schizophrenia, obesity, and race), and one relatively non-stigmatized characteristic to serve as a comparison group (heart disease). From previous research, we identify stigma-relevant frames and themes that have been prominent in the media, e.g., high vs. low genetic determinism and benefit vs. harm of genetic research. The aims of the proposed research are to: 1) Examine the prevalence of these frames and themes in recent newspaper and news magazine coverage. 2) Compare the prevalence of these themes in coverage of schizophrenia, obesity; racial differences, and heart disease. 3) Examine how the public comprehends, interprets, and reacts to stories reflecting the themes of determinism and harm. 4) Assess variations in these reactions depending on the human characteristic in question (e.g., obesity vs. heart disease). 5) Assess variations in reactions depending on respondents' characteristics. We address these aims in two phases: Phase 1 is a content analysis of 300 news stories, published between 2003 and 2006, about the causes of one of our four characteristics. In Phase 2, we construct synthetic news stories in which we vary the characteristic described and the themes of determinism and harm. Then, using a nationally representative sample of 700 people, we conduct an online experiment in which respondents are randomly assigned to read one version of the story. Respondents will answer open- and closed-ended questions assessing comprehension, interpretation, attitudes, beliefs and behavioral orientations in response to the story. Open-ended responses will be coded quantitatively to assess deviations in recall from the content of the article as well as attitudinal reactions.

描述（由申请人提供）：人类基因组图谱的新信息有可能显著改变我们对个人和群体的看法和反应。与此同时，我们对这一新信息的反应将取决于向公众提供和公众理解这一信息的方式，以及对信息适用群体的现有态度。这项拟议的研究审查了人类基因组研究对现有形式的耻辱的影响。认识到大众媒体在向公众传播基因组研究方面的重要性，我们在污名和传播方面的专家之间建立了合作关系，不仅要研究通过新闻媒体向公众传播的信息的内容，还要研究公众如何理解和回应这些信息。我们专注于三个污名相关的特征（精神分裂症，肥胖和种族），和一个相对非污名化的特征作为对照组（心脏病）。从以前的研究中，我们确定了媒体中突出的污名相关框架和主题，例如，遗传决定论高低和遗传研究的利与弊。本研究的目的是：（1）考察这些框架和主题在最近的报纸和新闻杂志报道中的流行程度。2)比较这些主题在精神分裂症、肥胖症、种族差异和心脏病方面的患病率。3)考察公众如何对反映决定论和伤害主题的故事进行分析、解释和反应。4)根据相关人类特征（例如，肥胖与心脏病）。5)根据受访者的特点评估反应的变化。我们分两个阶段来实现这些目标：第一阶段是对2003年至2006年期间发表的300篇新闻报道进行内容分析，内容是关于我们四个特征之一的原因。在第二阶段，我们构建合成新闻故事，其中我们改变了描述的特征以及决定论和伤害的主题。然后，使用全国代表性的700人的样本，我们进行了一个在线实验，受访者被随机分配阅读一个版本的故事。受访者将回答开放式和封闭式问题，评估对故事的理解、解释、态度、信念和行为取向。开放式的反应将被量化编码，以评估从文章的内容以及态度反应的回忆偏差。