Applications in artificial intelligence such as self-driving cars may profoundly transform our society, yet emerging technologies are frequently faced with suspicion or even hostility. Meanwhile, public opinions about scientific issues are increasingly polarized along the ideological line. By analyzing a nationally representative panel in the United States, we reveal an emerging ideological divide in public reactions to self-driving cars. Compared with liberals and Democrats, conservatives and Republicans express more concern about autonomous vehicles and more support for restrictively regulating autonomous vehicles. This ideological gap is largely driven by social conservatism. Moreover, both familiarity with driverless vehicles and scientific literacy reduce respondents’ concerns over driverless vehicles and support for regulation policies. Still, the effects of familiarity and scientific literacy are weaker among social conservatives, indicating that people may assimilate new information in a biased manner that promotes their worldviews.

Yilang Peng

Public Understanding of Science

Public Understanding of Science is a fully peer reviewed international journal covering all aspects of the inter-relationships between science (including technology and medicine) and the public. Public Understanding of Science is the only journal to cover all aspects of the inter-relationships between science (including technology and medicine) and the public.    Topics Covered Include...    ·surveys of public understanding and attitudes towards science and technology    ·perceptions of science    ·popular representations of science    ·scientific and para-scientific belief systems    ·science in schools

Public Understanding of Science is a fully peer-reviewed international journal that covers all aspects of the inter-relationships between science (including technology and medicine) and the public. It is the only journal dedicated to exploring these inter-relationships comprehensively. Topics covered include surveys of public understanding and attitudes towards science and technology, perceptions of science, popular representations of science, scientific and para-scientific belief systems, and science education in schools.

《Public Understanding of Science》是一本经过严格同行评审的国际期刊，涵盖科学（包括技术和医学）与公众之间相互关系的各个方面。该期刊是唯一专注于科学（包括技术和医学）与公众之间所有相互关系的期刊。涵盖的主题包括：公众对科学和技术的理解与态度调查、对科学的认知、科学的流行表现、科学与伪科学信仰体系、以及学校中的科学教育等。

The ideological divide in public perceptions of self-driving cars

An emerging ideological divide in public reactions to self-driving cars is revealed by analyzing a nationally representative panel in the United States, indicating that people may assimilate new information in a biased manner that promotes their worldviews.

Category	Quartile
文学	2
文学, 科学史与科学哲学	1
文学, 传播学	3

The ideological divide in public perceptions of self-driving cars

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Journal Info

Category	Quartile
HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE	1