Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 53201, USA.
Public Underst Sci. 2012 Jan;21(1):51-67. doi: 10.1177/0963662510367571.
The popularity of forensic crime shows such as CSI has fueled debate about their potential social impact. This study considers CSI's potential effects on public understandings regarding DNA testing in the context of judicial processes, the policy debates surrounding crime laboratory procedures, and the forensic science profession, as well as an effect not discussed in previous accounts: namely, the show's potential impact on public understandings of DNA and genetics more generally. To develop a theoretical foundation for research on the "CSI effect," it draws on cultivation theory, social cognitive theory, and audience reception studies. It then uses content analysis and textual analysis to illuminate how the show depicts DNA testing. The results demonstrate that CSI tends to depict DNA testing as routine, swift, useful, and reliable and that it echoes broader discourses about genetics. At times, however, the show suggests more complex ways of thinking about DNA testing and genetics.
犯罪现场调查（CSI）等法医学犯罪节目的流行引发了关于其潜在社会影响的争论。本研究考虑了 CSI 对公众在司法程序中对 DNA 检测的理解、围绕犯罪实验室程序的政策辩论以及法医学专业的潜在影响，以及之前的报道中没有讨论的影响：即该节目对公众对 DNA 和遗传学的更广泛理解的潜在影响。为了为“CSI 效应”的研究建立一个理论基础，它借鉴了培养理论、社会认知理论和受众接受研究。然后，它使用内容分析和文本分析来阐明该节目如何描绘 DNA 检测。结果表明，CSI 倾向于将 DNA 检测描绘为常规、迅速、有用和可靠的，并且与更广泛的遗传学论述相呼应。然而，有时该节目暗示了更复杂的思考 DNA 检测和遗传学的方式。
