New global research reveals strong public trust in science

A new international study on public trust in science, conducted across 68 countries, has found that most people trust scientists and believe they should be more involved in society and policymaking. Further, a majority of survey participants believe that scientists should be more involved in society and policymaking.

Published in Nature Human Behaviours (pre print link), this research was conducted by TISP, a Harvard University-based consortium led by Dr Viktoria Cologna (Harvard University, RTH Zurich) and Dr Niels G Mede (University of Zurich), which includes 241 researchers from 169 institutions worldwide, including the University of Bath.

The study, which includes 71,922 respondents—2,008 of them from the UK—provides the largest global dataset on trust in scientists since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Findings

• Widespread trust: Across 68 countries, the study finds that a majority of the public have relatively high trust in scientists (mean trust level = 3.62, on a scale from 1 = very low trust to 5 = very high trust). Majorities also perceive scientists to be qualified (78%), honest (57%), and concerned about people’s well-being (56%). 
• Desire for scientists’ engagement: A large majority (83%) agree that scientists should communicate science with the public. Only a minority (23%) believe that scientists should not actively advocate for specific policies. 52% believe that scientists should be more involved in the policymaking process.

Global Rankings

• Most Trusted: Egypt topped the list, followed by India, Nigeria, Kenya, and Australia.
• Middle of the Pack: The UK ranked 15th, three spots behind the US, but ahead of Canada (17th) and Sweden (20th).
• Least Trusted: At the bottom, Albania ranked 68th, followed by Kazakhstan (67th), Bolivia (66th), Russia (65th), and Ethiopia (64th).

Dr Eleonora Alabrese, an economist from the University of Bath, collected responses for part of the UK sample. She said:

“The UK has a generally high level of trust in science, ranking above many European countries, including Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and Belgium. Trust in scientists is higher among women, older individuals, and those with more education. Interestingly, a conservative political orientation is linked to lower trust in science in North America and parts of Europe. However, this pattern does not hold globally, suggesting that the political leadership may influence such attitudes in different regions.”

Lead researcher, Dr Viktoria Cologna from Harvard University and ETH Zurich said: “Our results show that most people in most countries have relatively high trust in scientists and want them to play an active role in society and policymaking”.

Second study lead Dr Niels G Mede from University of Zurich said: “The study is the most comprehensive post-pandemic snapshot of trust in scientists, societal expectations of their involvement in society and policymaking, and public views on research priorities.”

Challenges

The findings also highlight some areas of concern.  Globally, less than half of respondents (42%) believe that scientists pay attention to others’ views. The findings also show that many people, in many countries, feel that the priorities of science do not always align well with their own priorities. Participants assigned high priority to research dedicated to improving public health, solving energy problems, and reducing poverty. Research on developing defence and military technology was assigned a lower priority. In fact, participants explicitly believe that science prioritises developing defence and military technology more than they desire.

Recommendations

The consortium of academics recommends that scientists take these results seriously and find ways to be more receptive to feedback and open to dialogue with the public, consider ways in Western countries to reach conservative groups, and, in the fullness of time, consider their role in setting priorities aligned with public values.

Dr Eleonora Alabrese said: “While trust in science remains generally high, even a small decline in trust from a minority could influence how scientific evidence is used in policymaking. These findings are crucial for scientists and policymakers working to maintain public trust in science.”

ENDS

For more information, please contact:
Rebecca Tanswell
University of Bath Press Office
Tel: 01225 386319
Email: rlt54@bath.ac.uk