walk a mile in their shoes: learning from public attitudes to science 2011

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Walk a mile in their shoes Learning from Public Attitudes to Science 2011

Jayesh Navin Shah December 2012


What is this session about?

• Ipsos MORI conducted the Public Attitudes to Science 2011 study

for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)

• This study created a segmentation model based on the UK

public’s attitudes to science, scientists and science policy

• This session will cover three things

1. Introducing the idea of segmenting your audience when discussing your research

3. Discussing how you can use this segmentation model to help engage the public with your research

2. Looking in depth at the Public Attitudes to Science 2011 segmentation model


What is segmentation?

Qualitative research (Autumn 2010 and February 2011) • 4 general public dialogue workshops across UK • 4 discussion groups in London and Huntingdon recruited by segment

Six segments

Interpreted based on the survey data and qualitative research

Factor analysis • Combines 77

attitudinal statements into 15 factors

• These factors showing underlying attitudes

Cluster analysis

Groups respondents who have similar scores for each factor into segments

Face-to-face survey (October-December 2010) • Representative sample of 2,103 UK adults • Questionnaire includes 77 attitudinal statements


Mythbusting

What does the public really think about

science and scientists?


The UK public is increasingly interested in science …

Q. For each of the statements, please could you tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree?

Base: c.2,000 UK adults aged 16+ for each year

Fieldwork dates for Public Attitudes to Science 2011: 11 October-19 December 2010 Source: BIS Public Attitudes to Science studies

73 79 82

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

59

70 62

67

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

% Agree science is such a big part of our lives we should all take an interest

% Agree it is important to know about science in my daily life


… and scientists are amongst the most trusted professions …

Q. Now I will read you a list of different types of people. For each would you tell me if you generally trust them to tell the truth, or not?

Base: 1,026 British adults aged 15+

Fieldwork dates: 10 to 16 June 2011 Source: Ipsos MORI/BMA Trust in Professions survey

88 81 74 72 71 68 63 62 55 47 39 34 29 19 17 14 6 8 9 14 17 16 24 27 27 32 39 40 59

70 73 74

% not tell the truth % tell the truth

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… but public engagement with science is still essential

Base: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates: 11 October-19 December 2010 Source: Ipsos MORI/BIS Public Attitudes to Science 2011

Think they hear and see too little

information about science these days

51%

“When we don’t know much about

scientists, we get the impression they

are airy-fairy, head in the clouds.” PAS 2011 workshop participant


The six segments

Who are they and what are their views?


Confident Engagers are strongly positive about the role of

science in society, and already feel sufficiently engaged

Tend to be affluent (ABC1s), have a higher

education and aged 35-44

“Yes psychology is a science. Because of things like Pavlov‟s experiments, you can show how things work by methods.”

PAS 2011 participant

• Were enthusiastic about science at school

• Relatively close proximity to science in their lives,

either through work, or friends and family

• Often go to all sorts of museums, galleries and

festivals

• Sceptical about health and science claims made in

adverts and in the media

More likely to read broadsheets, use social media and

read science blogs


Distrustful Engagers think science benefits society, but are less

trusting of scientists and less confident of regulation

“Unfortunately, there are so many things which come up in media where things have been handled wrongly. I think the NHS is in a bit of a mess, so I would not fully trust that everything would be used in the correct way.”

HTA stakeholder evaluation (2007)

Tend to read right-leaning newspapers, but also more likely

to read science magazines

• More cynical about the intentions of private

companies and government, and think the

public should have more say

• Tend to think of scientists as introverts,

working behind closed doors

• Often sports fans, more likely to attend live

sports events

Tend to be men, generally without children, affluent

(ABC1s), with a higher education, and aged 55+


Late Adopters did not enjoy science at school, but now take a

strong interest, based on environmental and ethical concerns

“Carbon Dioxide Removal options are natural processes, so less likely to have unintended consequences on ecosystems.”

Experiment Earth (2010)

More likely to download or stream programmes or video clips, and to visit social networking websites

Tend to be women, often parents generally young,

aged 16-34, many with an arts or humanities background

• Take a broad view of what constitutes

science (e.g. CSI as a science-based show)

• Engage with news stories and activities that

relate back to their environmental and

ethical concerns (e.g. going to the zoo)

• Would like to hear more scientists discuss the

social and ethical implications of their work


The Concerned distinguish themselves through a more religious

or spiritual outlook on life, which informs their views on science

More likely to be women, from younger age groups aged 16-34, less affluent (C2DEs) and from ethnic minority backgrounds

“It shouldn‟t be done because once you start you can‟t stop or control it. The consequences would leak out somewhere.”

Public dialogue into Animals Containing Human Materials

(2010)

More likely to read tabloids, and less likely to read any

Sunday newspaper

• Often less convinced about established

science (e.g. on climate change or vaccination)

• Not sure what the economic benefits of

science are

• Think religion and faith should play a stronger

role in society than they currently do

• Tend to have faith that the government is

generally doing the right thing


The Indifferent do not feel informed about science, but are not

especially interested or concerned either

“You always hear these things without always knowing what they are. It‟s „medical‟, but that‟s about as far as I‟ve actually thought about it. It‟s like „cells‟, you often read things without fully understanding what it is anyway.”

HTA stakeholder evaluation (2007) Tend to be older people and retired, often less

affluent (C2DEs)

Least likely to have internet access, so television and

newspapers are important, especially tabloids

• Generally tend not to be interested in new

challenges or learning new skills

• Generally don‟t go to museums or

galleries

• Are put off by technical terms and jargon

• Don‟t think there is much they can change

with the way things are run


Disengaged Sceptics were put off science at school, and today

they find it overwhelming

“It‟s no use talking to us about CO2 emissions and expecting us to change our behaviour instantly. A tonne of carbon, what does that even look like! I want to know what‟s going to happen around here.”

The Big Energy Shift (2009)

More likely to be women, less affluent (C2DEs), and with no formal qualifications

More likely to read tabloids, and less

likely to have internet access

• Think things like science and the economy are too

complex for them to understand

• Take a conservative attitude towards science

and health regulation

• Don’t want personal involvement, but want to

know the Government is listening to the public

• But will engage with news stories if there is a non-

science narrative that interests them

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So do these groups of people really exist?

This short video was taken

with members of the general

public who attended our PAS

discussion groups in London

in February 2011


Over to you!

In groups, taking the segment we

give you:

1. What in life really matters to this

segment?

2. How can you use the things that

matter to engage them with

your research?

3. How would you most effectively

use media channels, messages,

events, activities?

Prepare to present back your top

three insights to the room

walk a mile in their shoes: learning from public attitudes to science 2011

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