In a sample of 281 Norwegian upper-secondary school students, structural equation
modeling was used to test hypothesized relationships between beliefs about justification for
knowing, interest, and knowledge across two controversial socio-scientific topics: climate
change and nuclear power. Results indicated that beliefs in justification by multiple sources
had a positive direct effect on knowledge about climate change and positive indirect effects
on knowledge about both topics mediated by topic interest. Beliefs in personal justification …