Key Takeaways:
– Globally, most people place a relatively high level of trust in scientists, according to a survey conducted across 68 countries.
– Interest in scientists taking a more active role society and policymaking is strong, as shown in the surveyâs results.
– Trust in scientists is slightly higher in certain demographic groups, such as women, older people, urban residents, and those with higher incomes and formal education.
– The perceived priorities of science often do not align with the public’s prioritization, highlighting a potential area of improvement for researchers.
– Trust levels could potentially increase if scientists pay more attention to feedback and public input.
Global Trust in Science Stands Strong
Despite rumors of a decline in public confidence in the scientific community, most people around the world place a high level of trust in scientists. This important fact surfaced in a global survey conducted by a team of 241 researchers, scrutinizing responses from almost 72,000 participants across 68 countries.
The Role of Media in Shaping Trust
Unfortunately, the way media portrays scientists can sometimes cast doubt on their credibility. For example, if news reports suggest a loss of trust in scientists, the audience could start to view scientists through a suspicious lens. This creates a damaging self-fulfilling prophecy. Similarly, bias in media reporting can sway public opinion. When reports on scientific controversies are manipulated, it can lead to increased distrust in scientists and an unhelpful rise in denial of scientifically validated crises such as climate change. Interestingly, the data from this global survey challenges these potentially harmful narratives.
Deciphering the Data
The huge task of analyzing a wealth of data from across the world involved carefully weighting the samples according to the respondent’s age, gender, education, and the sample size of their home country. This allowed the researchers to have a balanced representation from the global population.
In terms of trustworthiness, the team studied four main areas: perceived competence, benevolence, integrity, and openness. Throughout the international community, scientists scored high in competence and were seen as well-intentioned and honest, although they scored slightly lower on openness.
Trust Variances
Across the globe, the level of trust in scientists remains relatively high. However, certain demographic characteristics, such as gender, age, income, urban or rural residence, and political leaning appeared to influence the degree of trust in scientists. For instance, trust levels were slightly higher among women, older people, urban residents, and those with higher incomes and degrees.
Political orientation in most countries didn’t show significant association with trust in scientists. However, some Western countries showed that right-leaning individuals have less faith in scientists compared to their left-leaning counterparts. Interestingly, individuals who prefer social dominance or inequality tend to distrust scientists moreâa fact backed by previous studies.
Expectations of Scientists and Research Priorities
Many respondents also expressed a willingness for scientists to take on more prominent roles in society and policymaking, reinforcing the idea of science’s integral part in shaping societal progress. However, the priorities of scientific research didn’t always coincide with those of the public. Top public priorities for research incorporated public health, energy solutions, and poverty reduction whereas defense and military technology were less valued. Addressing this disconnect between public priorities and scientific pursuits may enhance overall trust.
Recommendations for Improving Trust
To strengthen the bond between the public and the scientific community, researchers should concentrate on incorporating public feedback and opening dialogues that are accessible to laypeople. Addressing this gap could prove beneficial to the existing trust level and enable scientists to better serve the public’s needs. In the long run, aligning research priorities with the public’s values can boost public confidence in the scientific community.