A124.
Gustafson, A. & Rice, R.
E. (2016). Cumulative advantage in sustainability commnication:
Unintended implications of the knowledge deficit model. Science
Communication, 38(6),
800-811.
The
knowledge deficit model proposes that more information increases
public knowledge levels about a given topic, and thus improved related
attitudes
and practice. However, research critiques the varying and limited
ability of
the deficit model. Further, the deficit model can also produce an
unintended cumulative
advantage system: growing inequality between and within the
knowledge-attitude-practice
(KAP) gap of individuals and groups due to a wide variety of possible
moderators. Over time, these effects can exacerbate gaps between
individuals’
and groups’ levels of KAP. We discuss the negative effects of
increasing
inequality in sustainability KAP, and provide recommendations for
future
research.
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