aaas s&e indicators chapter 7 overview presentation: public attitudes and understanding
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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 jbesley@msu.edu)
*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%
*The views expressed today are those of the presenter and not necessarily of the National Science Foundation or the National Science Board.
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)
*The views expressed today are those of the presenter and not necessarily of the National Science Foundation or the National Science Board.
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
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• 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
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