Thinking, not talking, predicts knowledge level: Effects of media attention and reflective integration on public knowledge of nuclear energy

By applying the cognitive mediation model, this study seeks to investigate factors influencing public knowledge of nuclear energy in Singapore. In addition, this study seeks to extend the cognitive mediation model by explicating the knowledge variable into four facets – general science knowledge, perceived familiarity, content nuclear knowledge and contextual nuclear knowledge. Using data collected from an interviewer-led door-to-door survey with 1000 Singapore citizens and permanent residents (PRs), we found that attention to TV news, website news and social media news stimulated news elaboration and interpersonal discussion. However, attention to print newspaper was neither associated with news elaboration nor interpersonal discussion. We also found that news elaboration could enhance factual knowledge such as general science knowledge, content nuclear knowledge and contextual nuclear knowledge, while interpersonal discussion could enhance perceived familiarity. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.