Ambivalence towards innovation: the social perception of risks and benefits associated with innovation in spanish society

Authors

  • Diana Iturrate Meras Departamento de Sociología Aplicada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22325/fes/res.2019.30

Keywords:

innovation, ambivalence, risks and benefits, public perception, social surveys

Abstract

Innovation studies have paid little attention to the public perceptions of innovation and to the meaning associated with innovation. This article makes a contribution to the sociology of innovation using the concept of ambivalence. The main goal is to analyze in detail risks and benefits attributed to innovation. The empirical data are based on face-to-face survey representative of the Spanish population. The perceptions of the risks and benefits associated with innovation are used to elaborate a typology of citizens by using factor and cluster analyses. In addition, knowledge on innovation and pro-innovative attitudes of interviewees are used to understand how social, economic and cultural factors influence public perception of innovation. Conclusions highlight that ambivalence is a key element to understand the collective representation of innovation.

Author Biography

Diana Iturrate Meras , Departamento de Sociología Aplicada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Diana Iturrate Meras es licenciada en Ciencias Políticas y de la Administración y en Sociología, se especializó mediante estudios de máster en Metodología aplicada a las Ciencias Sociales. Beneficiaria de una beca formativa del CIS durante 2014, y de un contrato predoctoral para la formación de personal investigador que desarrolló en el IESA-CSIC en el marco de la sociología de la innovación. Asimismo, ha colaborado en varios proyectos financiados por el Plan Nacional de I+D.

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Published

2019-11-21

How to Cite

Iturrate Meras, D. (2019). Ambivalence towards innovation: the social perception of risks and benefits associated with innovation in spanish society. Spanish Journal of Sociology, 28(3 - Sup1). https://doi.org/10.22325/fes/res.2019.30

Issue

Vol. 28 No. 3 - Sup1 (2019): Monográfico. Hacia una sociología de la innovación

Section

Números monográficos

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