One of my students is currently researching polarisation in education, examining whether it exists. One could think it is when checking (social) media. The same could be said about a growing anti-science movement. Luckily, there is also research examining whether the latter is the case. While there are for sure people doubting science and some signs of polarization in some countries, a newly published global survey spanning 68 countries reveals that public trust in scientists is still high. There are also reasons for caution. A team of 241 researchers conducted the most extensive post-pandemic study of trust in science, societal expectations and public views on research priorities. And yes, people who doubt science will probably also doubt these results.
From the press release:
Trust in scientists is at a moderately high level worldwide, according to a new study. This is the conclusion of an international team of 241 researchers led by Viktoria Cologna of ETH Zurich and Niels G. Mede of the University of Zurich (UZH). “Our results show that most people in most countries have a relatively high level of trust in scientists,” says principal investigator Viktoria Cologna, “and want them to play an active role in society and politics.” The study found no evidence for the oft-repeated claim of a crisis of trust in science.
The study is the result of the TISP Many Labs study, a collaborative effort that allowed the authors to survey 71,922 people in 68 countries, including many under-researched countries in the Global South. For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic, the study provides global, representative survey data on the populations and regions of the world in which researchers are perceived to be most trustworthy, the extent to which they should engage with the public, and whether science is prioritizing important research issues.
No crisis of trust in science
Across 68 countries, the study finds that the majority of the public has a relatively high level of trust in scientists (mean trust level = 3.62, on a scale of 1 = very low trust to 5 = very high trust). The majority of respondents also perceive scientists as qualified (78%), honest (57%) and concerned about people’s well-being (56%).
However, the results also reveal some areas of concern. Globally, less than half of respondents (42%) believe that scientists pay attention to the views of others. “Our results also show that many people in many countries feel that the priorities of science are not always well aligned with their own priorities,” says co-author Niels G. Mede. “We recommend that scientists take these results seriously and find ways to be more receptive to feedback and open to dialogue with the public.”
Polarization of population groups and differences between countries
The findings confirm the results of previous studies that show significant differences between countries and population groups. In particular, people with right-wing political views in Western countries tend to have less trust in scientists than those with left-wing views. This suggests that attitudes toward science tend to polarize along political lines. In most countries, however, political orientation and trust in scientists were not related.
Call for active engagement of scientists
A majority of respondents want science to play an active role in society and policy-making. Globally, 83% of respondents believe that scientists should communicate with the public about science, providing an impetus for increased science communication efforts. Only a minority (23%) believe that scientists should not actively advocate for specific policies. 52% believe that scientists should be more involved in the policy-making process.
Participants gave high priority to research to improve public health, solve energy problems, and reduce poverty. On the other hand, research to develop defense and military technology was given a lower priority. In fact, participants explicitly believe that science is prioritizing the development of defense and military technology more than they would like, highlighting a potential misalignment between public and scientific priorities.
Abstract of the study:
Science is crucial for evidence-based decision-making. Public trust in scientists can help decision makers act on the basis of the best available evidence, especially during crises. However, in recent years the epistemic authority of science has been challenged, causing concerns about low public trust in scientists. We interrogated these concerns with a preregistered 68-country survey of 71,922 respondents and found that in most countries, most people trust scientists and agree that scientists should engage more in society and policymaking. We found variations between and within countries, which we explain with individual- and country-level variables, including political orientation. While there is no widespread lack of trust in scientists, we cannot discount the concern that lack of trust in scientists by even a small minority may affect considerations of scientific evidence in policymaking. These findings have implications for scientists and policymakers seeking to maintain and increase trust in scientists.