“Exploring Science Literacy and the Literacy Communities of the Anti-Vaccination Movement”

by Wyn Andrews-Richards | Xchanges 11.2

Science Literacy Scholarship

In a piece from 1982, “Bankruptcy of Science’s Debate: The Creed of Science and Its Critics,” Roy MacLeod examines how the science community represents itself in a “scientifically rational” manner and as the “norm of truth.” MacLeod states, “Public criticism of this self-justification has, in the West, assumed major proportions. Yet, remarkably, science is still often taught in ways that assume a canonical world-view” (MacLeod, 1982). This idea gives those interested in promoting science literacy an interesting puzzle to solve. Science itself is trying to convey science literacy to its students, presenting an attitude that science shouldn’t be questioned; the contention is that continued and reinforced science literacy will alleviate suspicion about the scientific method, which is so often found in anti-science groups such as the anti-vaccination movement.

With the scientific method following a logical step-by-step process, focusing on achieving absolute truths throughout disciplines, it is curious how science skepticism and science illiteracy have come to the fore. It raises the question that the scientific community might be responsible for the current trend of distrust of science, manifested by the anti-vaccination movement. Interestingly, in a rhetorical examination of Wakefield’s notorious paper, Lauren Archer writes, “I argue the very practices of scientific publishing, specifically the tradition of hedging, help to create a scientifically acceptable text but also leave discursive gaps. These gaps allow for alternate interpretations as scientific texts pass from technical to public contexts, enabling insufficiently supported claims the standing of scientific knowledge among citizens” (Archer, 2014). This raises concerns about the scientific publishing community contributing to science illiteracy in adults, rather than contributing to science literacy.

In our present society, with much pre-modern superstition being eliminated from our culture, it is easy to question the need for science literacy. Jon D. Miller states emphatically, “In a democratic society, the level of scientific literacy in the population has important implications for science policy decisions” (Miller, 1983). In their article addressing the problems relating to science literacy in adults, David Cronin and Jonathan Messemer write, “Only one in four American adults are considered scientifically literate and the average American adult’s understanding of science is less than desirable” (Cronin and Messemer, 2013).

In their article for the American Journal of Public Health, authors Kenneth Camargo Jr. and Roy Grant discuss strategies to correct the issue of effective science communication to the general public. They state, “The key to democratic public policy is the availability of scientific evidence, its effective communication, and the competence of those involved in its formulation to evaluate presented evidence” (Camargo and Grant, 2015). The anti-vaccination groups must be reached. This deep ravine consisting of these so-very-important factors, effective communication and competence, needs to be bridged.