aaas s&e indicators chapter 7 overview presentation: public attitudes and understanding

Key Public Opinion Findings from Science and Engineering Indicators 2014John C. Besley, Ph.D. Ellis N. Brandt ChairCollege of Communication Arts and SciencesMichigan State University(@johnbesley or [email protected])

*The views expressed today are those of the presenter and not necessarily of the National Science Foundation or the National Science Board.

Background• S&E Indicators appears every 2 years• Report from the National Science Board to the President and Congress

• Produced by NSF’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES)• Chapter 7 focused on “Public Attitudes and Understanding”• AAAS Fellow Jon D. Miller key player in the first decades of this work

Background• Chapter 7 – Science and Technology: Public Attitudes and Understanding

• Primary data source: Special section of the 2012 General Social Survey (GSS)• First NSF science survey: 1972; Part of GSS since 2006• Reviews findings others (Gallup, Pew Research Center, Eurobarometer)

• U.S. is one of the few countries conducting regular S&T surveys and reviews

NSF 2012 science module n = 2,256Female: n = 1,245 (55%)Age: 18-24, n = 140 (6%)

25-34, n = 357 (16%)35-44, n = 385 (17%)45-54, n = 423 (19%)54-64, n = 420 (19%)>/= 65, n = 504 (22%)

Education: <High school, n = 308 (14%)High school diploma, n = 671 (30%)Some college, n = 608 (27%)Bachelor’s , n = 429 (19%)Graduate/Professional degree, n = 240 (11%)

Response rate: 71%


Content• Interest, Information Sources and Involvement• Public Knowledge about S&T• Public Attitudes about S&T in General• Public Attitudes about Specific S&T-related Issues (not the focus today)


Full report:• 25K words• 22 figures• 11 tables• 38 appendix tables

Interest, Information Sources and Involvement• Americans say they’re interested in S&T• 40% of Americans “Very Interested” in

“New Scientific Discoveries”• Local/personal issues strongest

(including medicine and environment)

Interest, Information Sources and Involvement• 2011 science survey by BBVA

Foundation of US, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain, United Kingdom• Rafael Pardo heads BBVA

Foundation; collaborator with Jon D. Miller on S&T topics

• Opportunity for international comparisons for 2014 Indicators

Interest, Information Sources and Involvement• 2011 BBVA Foundation survey suggests …

• US residents watch a little more TV about S&T as 10-country EU average US residents read about the same amount of news as 10-country EU average

• Several countries are somewhat more engaged (e.g,. UK, DK)

Interest, Information Sources and Involvement• US appears to be relatively strong on informal science education use

• About half of Americans visited a zoo/aquarium in previous year• About 58% had visited a zoo/aquarium, natural history museum, or S&T museum• Recent data from other countries lacking; BBVA suggests wide variance in EU• China quite strong; up from previous surveys

Public Knowledge about S&T• Many Americans continue to have

a hard time with science questions• Average of 6.5/9 question on index

(index does not include evolution question)

• Very little change over time• Clear evidence of education impact

• Wording changes affect scores on two questions• 39% say “true” to “universe

began with a huge explosion”• BUT 60% say “true” if “according to

astronomers” is added as a preface• 48% say “true” to “human beings … developed

from an earlier species of animals”

• BUT 72% say “true if “according to the theory of evolution” is added as a preface.

(Therefore not included in the index)

Public Knowledge about S&T• Many Americans continue to have

a hard time with science questions• Average of 6.5/9 question on index

(index does not include evolution question)

• Very little change over time• Clear evidence of education impact

Public Knowledge about S&T• BBVA Foundation survey: U.S. is similar to

many European countries on science quiz• Battery of 22

True/false questions

Public Attitudes about S&T• 41% of Americans: “a great deal of

confidence” – scientific community.• 40% of Americans: “a great deal of

confidence” – medicine• Down from 61% in the mid-1970s

Public Attitudes about S&T• Overall, very

little difference in how people see scientists and engineers.

Public Attitudes about S&T• Almost every agrees that scientists are

solving problems, working for humanity, and trying to make things better.

Public Attitudes about S&T• Most seem to think science/engineering

pays well and wouldn’t be too boring

Public Attitudes about S&T• But some people still think scientists/

engineers might at risk and kind of “odd and peculiar.”

Public Attitudes about S&T• People overwhelming continue to think

the benefits of science outweigh any potential harms.

Public Attitudes about S&T• Americans and

Europeans hold similar reservations and see similar opportunity from science

Public Attitudes about S&T• About a 1/3 of people think

S&T should get more money

Public Attitudes about S&T• About a 1/3 of people think

S&T should get more money• BUT they also think many other

things should get more money, too …(Some of those things involved science)

Summary*The public may not know as much about science as we might like …

… but they still like science just fine

*The views expressed today are those of the presenter and not necessarily of the National Science Foundation or the National Science Board

Thank you to Lori Thurgood at SRI International and the NSF’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

(at least, in general)

Bonus Material

Interest, Information Sources and Involvement• TV is primary source news for Americans• BUT Internet passed TV as the primary

channel for S&T news• Additional questions suggest that

2/3 of the “Internet” is newspapers• Newspapers (33%) and TV (32%)

are therefore the true primary sources of S&T news

Public Attitudes about S&T• Traditional science fields as scientific• Many activities seen as scientific• Social science is not seen as scientific