The present study is a first attempt to examine middle school student reactions to nanotechnology.
In contrast to previous studies dealing with adult attitudes, the present study
revealed that, 74 % of the students had some awareness of nanotechnology even though it
was not included as part of the 6–8th grade learning goals. Studies conducted in America
(Macoubrie 2006; Kahan et al. 2007; Scheufele et al. 2009; Retzbach et al. 2011), in
England (Parr 2005; Pidgeon and Rogers-Hayden 2007) and in Australia (AON 2008),
indicated that public awareness or knowledge of nanotechnology was quite low. Research
has shown, however, that nanotech literacy has no direct impact on attitudes toward
nanotechnology (Cobb and Macoubrie 2004; Scheufele and Lewenstein 2005). Also, Lee
et al. (2005, p. 241), indicate that ‘‘The lack of concrete factual information on the part of
citizens, however, does not necessarily mean that they will not form attitudes about these
new technologies. Rather, citizens will use cognitive shortcuts or heuristics, such as
ideological predispositions or cues from mass media, to form judgments about emerging
technologies.’’ These results show that there is no simple link between factual scientific
knowledge and the acceptance of nanotechnology.