Public Attitudes to Science 2014: Main Report

Job number ; Title of document : Draft status

1

MMaarcrhch20210414

PPuubblilcicAtAtittutidtuesdetosStocieSnccieen2c01e42014

Main Report Main Report

Sarah Castell, Anne Charlton, Michael Clemence, Nick Pettigrew, SSaararahhPCoapset,eAll,nAnannQeuCighleayrl,toJna,yeMsihchNaaevl iCnleSmhaehncaen,dNTicimk PSeilmttiganrew,

Sarah Pope, Anna Quigley, Jayesh Navin Shah and Tim Silman

12-081963-01 | Version 2 (accessible version) | Public | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at . ? Ipsos MORI 2014.

Public Attitudes to Science 2014: Main Report

12-08196132-0181|9V6e3r-s0io1n| 2Ve| rPsuiobnlic2 || TPhuibslwico|rTkhwisaswocrakrrwieadsocuatrirnieadcocuotrdinaancceowrditahntche wreiqthutirheemrenqtusiroefmtheentisntoefrnthaetioinntaelrnational quality standard for Market Research, ISO quality standard fo2r 0M2a5r2k:e2t0R1e2s, eaanrdchw,itIhSOthe20Ip25so2s:2M01O2R, IaTnedrmwisthatnhde CIposnodsitMioOnsRwI TheicrhmcsaanndbeCfoonudnidtioantshwttph:i/c/wh wcawn.terms. ? Ipsos MORI 2014. found at . ? Ipsos MORI 2014.

Public Attitudes to Science 2014: Main Report

Foreword

I am pleased to present Public Attitudes to Science 2014, the fifth in this series of studies, which for the first time, enables some trends to be tracked as far back as 1988.

As you will see, this study uses a more innovative approach, using research from online communities and social media listening, as well as the traditional face-to-face survey of the UK public. I recognise that digital technology has a significant role to play in opening up policymaking and welcome a greater understanding of how this can be used to communicate science.

In my role as Science Minister, I am very pleased to see that the UK public overwhelmingly think that science is important and take an interest in it. In fact, there has been a gradual long-term increase in agreement of this, with the public appearing much more interested in science today than they were in 2000 and before. However, alongside this, there is a public appetite to hear more information, which our engaging "Day of Discovery" successfully proved. I was delighted to hear that most participants took the spontaneous opportunity to talk with scientists about their work and research and also reflected on their own science journey and how science, in its broadest form, has influenced their lives.

I hear the message that there is a strong desire to find out about potential new developments in science and technology before they happen, not afterwards. This is great news, and is an important message for all of us involved, be it industry, the research sector or the Government. This research also helps to build our attitudinal evidence of some of the Eight Great Technologies, which will help us make better policy decisions and ensure these important technologies are developed in a responsible way that meets the needs of business and society.

This leads me to consider the pace of change. Although this remains an area of public concern, I am encouraged to read that long-term trends show the public is more at ease with science and the pace of change, influenced in part by a new younger generation who have played a big part in shifting attitudes and tend to be very interested in science.

On this note, I encourage you to make use of the research and the raw survey data available to improve our public engagement with science for future generations.

David Willetts MP, Minister for Universities and Science

David Willetts MP

12-081963-01 | Version 2 (accessible version) | Public | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at . ? Ipsos MORI 2014.

Public Attitudes to Science 2014: Main Report

Acknowledgements

Ipsos MORI would foremost like to thank the members of the public who took part in the surveys, as well as the general public participants and scientists who were involved in the various strands of qualitative research. We would also like to thank Alice Taylor-Gee and colleagues at the British Science Association for running the Public Attitudes to Science blog, as well as the contributors to the blog. Finally we would like to thank Karen Folkes and Kerry Seelhoff at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and members of the Public Attitudes to Science 2014 steering group for their input throughout the study.

12-081963-01 | Version 2 (accessible version) | Public | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at . ? Ipsos MORI 2014.

Public Attitudes to Science 2014: Main Report

Contents

Summary...................................................................................................................................... 1 1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 9

1.1 Background and context ..........................................................................................................................9 1.2 Research objectives ...............................................................................................................................12 1.3 Methodology...........................................................................................................................................13 1.4 Interpretation of the data ........................................................................................................................14

2 How people see science.................................................................................................... 21

2.1 What is science? ....................................................................................................................................22 2.2 Hopes and concerns about science .......................................................................................................27 2.3 Science and religion ...............................................................................................................................30 2.4 Attitudes to specific science topics.........................................................................................................32

3 How people view scientists and engineers ........................................................................ 38

3.1 Do people value scientists and engineers? ...........................................................................................39 3.2 What should scientists and engineers be like? ......................................................................................40 3.3 What are scientists and engineers like?.................................................................................................41 3.4 What do scientists and engineers do? ...................................................................................................43

4 Finding out about science.................................................................................................. 47

4.1 Interest in science ..................................................................................................................................48 4.2 How do people get their information? ....................................................................................................50 4.3 Feeling informed.....................................................................................................................................54 4.4 How confident are people in finding out about science?........................................................................59

5 Discussing science in a digital age .................................................................................... 64

5.1 How do people discuss science online? ................................................................................................65 5.2 How do people share science stories online?........................................................................................70

6 Trust and confidence in science ........................................................................................ 76

6.1 Trust in information generally.................................................................................................................77 6.2 Trust in media reporting .........................................................................................................................80 6.3 Trust in scientists....................................................................................................................................84 6.4 Awareness of regulation.........................................................................................................................88 6.5 Confidence in regulation ........................................................................................................................90

7 Public involvement in science............................................................................................ 95

7.1 Do people want to be involved? .............................................................................................................96 7.2 How well does government involve the public? ...................................................................................100 7.3 How well do scientists communicate with the public?..........................................................................103 7.4 The importance of early communication ..............................................................................................104

8 Science in people's lives.................................................................................................. 108

8.1 Science as a leisure or cultural activity ................................................................................................109 8.2 Studying science ..................................................................................................................................113

12-081963-01 | Version 2 (accessible version) | Public | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at . ? Ipsos MORI 2014.

Public Attitudes to Science 2014: Main Report

8.3 Careers in science and engineering.....................................................................................................117

9 Science and the economy ............................................................................................... 121

9.1 Science funding....................................................................................................................................122 9.2 The economic benefits of science........................................................................................................126

10 The Public Attitudes to Science segments ...................................................................... 132

10.1 How have the segments evolved over time? .......................................................................................133 10.2 What have we learnt about the segments?..........................................................................................135

11 Attitudes to big data ......................................................................................................... 141

11.1 Concerns about current use of data.....................................................................................................142 11.2 How important is anonymity? ...............................................................................................................143 11.3 Opinions on potential uses of big data .................................................................................................144 11.4 The energy impact of big data..............................................................................................................147

12 Attitudes to agri-science and food security ...................................................................... 149

12.1 Is food security an issue?.....................................................................................................................150 12.2 GM crops in the context of food security..............................................................................................154

13 Attitudes to robots............................................................................................................ 158

13.1 Awareness of different uses of robots..................................................................................................159 13.2 Opinions on different uses of robots ....................................................................................................161

14 Attitudes to emerging energy technologies...................................................................... 167

14.1 Confidence in government action.........................................................................................................168 14.2 Awareness of emerging energy technologies ......................................................................................169 14.3 Opinions of emerging energy technologies..........................................................................................171

Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 178

What have we learnt about public attitudes?..................................................................................................178 Immediate lessons for policymakers and science communicators ................................................................179 What could be explored further? ....................................................................................................................180 What can we learn from the study methodology? ..........................................................................................181

Appendix A: list of steering group members............................................................................. 184 Appendix B: guide to statistical reliability ................................................................................. 185 Appendix C: definitions of social grades .................................................................................. 187 References............................................................................................................................... 190

12-081963-01 | Version 2 (accessible version) | Public | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at . ? Ipsos MORI 2014.

Public Attitudes to Science 2014: Main Report

Summary

12-081963-01 | Version 2 (accessible version) | Public | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at . ? Ipsos MORI 2014.

Public Attitudes to Science 2014: Main Report

1

Summary

Public Attitudes to Science (PAS) 2014 is the fifth in a series of studies looking at attitudes to science, scientists and science policy among the UK public. The study was conducted by Ipsos MORI, in partnership with the British Science Association, on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Economic and Social Research Council. It employed a mix of methodologies, including:

? a representative survey of 1,749 UK adults aged 16+ and a booster survey of 315 16-24 year-olds, which were carried out from 15 July to 18 November 20131

? face-to-face qualitative research with a general public audience to further explore issues raised by the survey data

? online qualitative research and social listening to explore how people find out about and discuss science online.

In addition to this report, an infographic showing the key findings from the study has also been published.2

The state of public attitudes in 2014

The public continue to see science as important

The UK public continue to see science as beneficial to society. Four-fifths (81%) agree that science will make people's lives easier, and over half (55%) think that the benefits of science outweigh any harmful effects ? very few (16%) disagree with this latter point of view.

People are overwhelmingly positive about the contribution science makes to the UK economy, in terms of growth, international competitiveness and future prosperity. For example, three-quarters (76%) think scientific research makes a direct contribution to economic growth in the UK, and nine-in-ten (91%) agree that young people's interest in science is essential for our future prosperity.

Many also value the contribution it has made to their own lives. Half (51%) think the science they learnt at school has been useful in their everyday lives, while three-quarters (76%) think this of the maths they learnt at school.

Recognising these impacts, the public continue to support government funding of science. Eight-in-ten (79%) agree that, even if it brings no immediate benefits, scientific research which advances knowledge should be funded by the Government. Two-thirds (65%) also disagree that this funding should be cut because the money can be better spent elsewhere.

1 The main survey used a probability sampling approach while the 16-24 year-old booster survey used a quota sampling approach. 2 This is available on the Ipsos MORI website, at: .

12-081963-01 | Version 2 (accessible version) | Public | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at . ? Ipsos MORI 2014.

People are overwhelmingly positive about the contribution of science to the UK economy

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download