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Who Reads Science Fiction and Fantasy, and How Do They Feel About Science? Preliminary Findings From an Online Survey

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  • Christopher Benjamin Menadue
  • Susan Jacups

Abstract

This article describes findings from an online survey Science Fiction & Fantasy: Your Experiences , launched in November 2015 and closed 1 year later, which received 909 unique responses. The survey identified characteristics of readers of science fiction, their knowledge and experiences of works, authors, and subgenres. It examined their attitudes to science and science fiction and their judgment of the similarity between real and fictional scientists. Contrary to declining reading habits, the science fiction and fantasy audience read consistently high volumes of books, as well as watching genre TV and film. We discovered that reading science fiction and fantasy may have a role in sustained, and cognitively beneficial, adoption of reading by young people and is complementary to other forms of consumption, rather than competitive. Science fiction was also found to be an important influence on the perception and acceptance of science by the public. Implications of this are that science fiction and fantasy are now a normal part of life for a wide range of people, and science fiction has a positive influence on popular interpretation, acceptance, and support of scientific endeavors. These results support earlier work that suggests science fiction is a valuable research tool for public engagement with science.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher Benjamin Menadue & Susan Jacups, 2018. "Who Reads Science Fiction and Fantasy, and How Do They Feel About Science? Preliminary Findings From an Online Survey," SAGE Open, , vol. 8(2), pages 21582440187, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:8:y:2018:i:2:p:2158244018780946
    DOI: 10.1177/2158244018780946
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christopher Benjamin Menadue, 2018. "Hubbard Bubble, Dianetics Trouble: An Evaluation of the Representations of Dianetics and Scientology in Science Fiction Magazines From 1949 to 1999," SAGE Open, , vol. 8(4), pages 21582440188, October.
    2. Christopher Benjamin Menadue & Karen Diane Cheer, 2017. "Human Culture and Science Fiction: A Review of the Literature, 1980-2016," SAGE Open, , vol. 7(3), pages 21582440177, August.
    3. Martine Selm & Nicholas Jankowski, 2006. "Conducting Online Surveys," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 435-456, June.
    4. Sonia Livingstone, 2013. "The participation paradigm in audience research," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 49630, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    1. Christopher Benjamin Menadue & Kristi Giselsson & David Guez, 2020. "An Empirical Revision of the Definition of Science Fiction: It Is All in the Techne . . ," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(4), pages 21582440209, October.
    2. Muscio, Alessandro, 2023. "The ambiguous role of science and technology in Marvel superhero comics: From their ‘Golden Age’ to the present-day," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 186(PB).
    3. Christopher Benjamin Menadue, 2018. "Hubbard Bubble, Dianetics Trouble: An Evaluation of the Representations of Dianetics and Scientology in Science Fiction Magazines From 1949 to 1999," SAGE Open, , vol. 8(4), pages 21582440188, October.

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