Talking to Gen Z About Media and Pseudoscience: Trends and Perceptions

This paper explores Gen Z’s understanding of science and pseudoscience, assessing, at the same time, their media literacy skills. Drawing on the relevant literature and elaborating on the findings from five focus groups studies in remote areas of Greece and Portugal, it sheds light on how young peop...

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Main Authors: Anna Podara, Theodora Saridou, Ioanna Kostarella, Elissavet Georgiadou, Andreas Veglis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Societies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/6/148
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author Anna Podara
Theodora Saridou
Ioanna Kostarella
Elissavet Georgiadou
Andreas Veglis
author_facet Anna Podara
Theodora Saridou
Ioanna Kostarella
Elissavet Georgiadou
Andreas Veglis
author_sort Anna Podara
collection DOAJ
description This paper explores Gen Z’s understanding of science and pseudoscience, assessing, at the same time, their media literacy skills. Drawing on the relevant literature and elaborating on the findings from five focus groups studies in remote areas of Greece and Portugal, it sheds light on how young people perceive science. Through a synthesis of the insights garnered from the participants’ personal experiences, this study endeavors to offer valuable advice and recommendations for designing education material that is tailor-made to address the needs of generation Z. By adopting these suggestions, policymakers and educational experts can advance scientific literacy, cultivate critical thinking, and nurture an environment of evidence-based decision-making for young people.
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spelling doaj-art-fa7cd557a42549b5bd71d0f22b2356c12025-08-20T03:27:36ZengMDPI AGSocieties2075-46982025-05-0115614810.3390/soc15060148Talking to Gen Z About Media and Pseudoscience: Trends and PerceptionsAnna Podara0Theodora Saridou1Ioanna Kostarella2Elissavet Georgiadou3Andreas Veglis4School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 546 25 Thessaloniki, GreeceSchool of Journalism and Mass Communications, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 546 25 Thessaloniki, GreeceSchool of Journalism and Mass Communications, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 546 25 Thessaloniki, GreeceSchool of Journalism and Mass Communications, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 546 25 Thessaloniki, GreeceSchool of Journalism and Mass Communications, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 546 25 Thessaloniki, GreeceThis paper explores Gen Z’s understanding of science and pseudoscience, assessing, at the same time, their media literacy skills. Drawing on the relevant literature and elaborating on the findings from five focus groups studies in remote areas of Greece and Portugal, it sheds light on how young people perceive science. Through a synthesis of the insights garnered from the participants’ personal experiences, this study endeavors to offer valuable advice and recommendations for designing education material that is tailor-made to address the needs of generation Z. By adopting these suggestions, policymakers and educational experts can advance scientific literacy, cultivate critical thinking, and nurture an environment of evidence-based decision-making for young people.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/6/148pseudosciencemedia literacysciencemedia usegen Z
spellingShingle Anna Podara
Theodora Saridou
Ioanna Kostarella
Elissavet Georgiadou
Andreas Veglis
Talking to Gen Z About Media and Pseudoscience: Trends and Perceptions
Societies
pseudoscience
media literacy
science
media use
gen Z
title Talking to Gen Z About Media and Pseudoscience: Trends and Perceptions
title_full Talking to Gen Z About Media and Pseudoscience: Trends and Perceptions
title_fullStr Talking to Gen Z About Media and Pseudoscience: Trends and Perceptions
title_full_unstemmed Talking to Gen Z About Media and Pseudoscience: Trends and Perceptions
title_short Talking to Gen Z About Media and Pseudoscience: Trends and Perceptions
title_sort talking to gen z about media and pseudoscience trends and perceptions
topic pseudoscience
media literacy
science
media use
gen Z
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/6/148
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