<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>In popular science and technology writing, “boosterism” is prominent. Writers overwhelmingly describe science and technology in enthusiastic terms, thereby promoting the deficit or Public Appreciation of Science and Technology model (PAST). A crucial aspect of the PAST model is its pro-innovation bias: writers enroll chaperones in the texts, such as spokespersons, users, celebrities, witnesses, experts, and authorities, to support their claims. Both “boosterism” and pro-innovation bias constrain the public’s critical understanding of science and technology. This study includes a detailed exploration of pro-innovation bias in the popularization of the Internet in the Norwegian press and how journalists use chaperones to support their claims. The author demonstrates that, in popularizing the Internet, pro-innovation bias manifests several other biases, such as individual-praise, pro-technology, individual-blame, technology-blame, and source biases.</p>
</abstract>

In popular science and technology writing, “boosterism” is prominent. Writers overwhelmingly describe science and technology in enthusiastic terms, thereby promoting the deficit or Public Appreciation of Science and Technology model (PAST). A crucial aspect of the PAST model is its pro-innovation bias: writers enroll chaperones in the texts, such as spokespersons, users, celebrities, witnesses, experts, and authorities, to support their claims. Both “boosterism” and pro-innovation bias constrain the public’s critical understanding of science and technology. This study includes a detailed exploration of pro-innovation bias in the popularization of the Internet in the Norwegian press and how journalists use chaperones to support their claims. The author demonstrates that, in popularizing the Internet, pro-innovation bias manifests several other biases, such as individual-praise, pro-technology, individual-blame, technology-blame, and source biases.

Popularizing the Internet

Nordicom Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Traveling Companions Supporting the Good News

In popular science and technology writing, “boosterism” is prominent. Writers overwhelmingly describe science and technology in enthusiastic terms, thereby...

Popularizing the Internet

Published Online: Oct 29, 2015

Page range: 157 - 171

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2015-0023

Keywords
pro-innovation bias, science and technology communication, Internet, framing, praise, blame

© 2015 Per Hetland, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Popularizing the Internet

Published Online: Oct 29, 2015

Page range: 157 - 171

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nor-2015-0023

Keywordspro-innovation bias, science and technology communication, Internet, framing, praise, blame

© 2015 Per Hetland, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
pro-innovation bias, science and technology communication, Internet, framing, praise, blame