PUS seminar on Public Attitudes to Science 2011 results

1. London Public Understanding of Science Seminar Learning from Public Attitudes to Science 2011 Marilyn Booth, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Jayesh Navin Shah, Ipsos MORI Social Research Institute October 2011

5. Opening up the Process Dedicated blog hosted by BIS during the study at http://blogs.bis.gov.uk/pas11/ Online discussions on Twitter and more, post-publication: http://storify.com/marilyneb/public-attitudes-to-science-2011-the-twitter-story

8. The UK public increasingly values science

9. Most think science is important, and two-thirds find it important to them personally Q For each of the statements, please could you tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree? Base for 2011: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates for 2011: 11 October-19 December 2010

10. People generally see science as benefiting society, more so than in 2008 Base for 2011: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates: 11 October-19 December 2010 Q For each of the statements, please could you tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree?

11. This is in terms of its economic impact… The UK needs to develop its science and technology sector in order to enhance its international competitiveness Scientific research makes a direct contribution to economic growth in the UK Base: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates: 11 October-19 December 2010 Q For each of the statements, please could you tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree? % Agree 75% 79% % Strongly agree % Tend to agree % Neither/nor % Tend to disagree % Strongly disagree % Don't know

12. … and also in terms of the wider cultural benefits of science “ I watched a science programme that shows how a microchip is made. The programme is very interesting … It shows that science is not a dry stuffy subject and can have a lot of humour in it.” Birmingham participant “ Before, [I thought] science was the Bunsen burner, nothing else, and then I thought it’s everything: gardening, food, glasses.” Birmingham participant “ My son was thoroughly awestruck with the Launchpad section [of the Science Museum] … Showing children the effects of viscosity, light distortion, chemical reactions and much more elicited quite a few oohs and aaahs … whilst also teaching them why.” London participant Half the public (50%) have taken part in a science-related leisure activity in the past 12 months, e.g. a trip to a science museum

13. Scientists are valued members of society, again more so than in 2008 Base for 2011: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates for 2011: 11 October-19 December 2010 Q For each of the statements, please could you tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree?

14. Most trust scientists to follow the rules, though trust does vary by institution Q How much, if at all, do you trust each of the following to follow any rules and regulations which apply to their profession? Scientists working for Government % A great deal % A fair amount % Not very much % Not at all % Don't know Scientists working for private companies Scientists working for universities Scientists working for charities Scientists working for environmental groups Base: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates: 11 October-19 December 2010 Engineers working for universities University lecturers Engineers working for private companies Researchers working for Government Researchers working for universities % Great deal/fair amount 72% 56% 83% 76% 72% 83% 82% 70% 72% 83%

15. Those who begin as sceptics are willing to change their views Technical advances/ inventions versus understanding nature See science as creatively interpreting findings, not just dull gathering of data Initial conflicting or stereotypical ideas of what science is about… … but people were open to changing views after discussion “ Useful” and “less useful” science (e.g. space science) See space science as equally useful when hearing directly from scientists about development of CAT scans etc Less trusting of scientists working for industry Reassess this when hearing directly from industry scientists (previous lack of exposure to industry scientists)

16. However, people still have concerns about science and scientists

17. Over half are still concerned about whether regulation can control individual scientists… Neither/nor Strongly agree Don’t know Tend to disagree Tend to agree Strongly disagree Q Please could you tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement? Rules will not stop scientists doing what they want behind closed doors Base: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates: 11 October-19 December 2010 54% Agree 25% Disagree

18. … and two-fifths are worried about the intentions of scientists Q Please could you tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement? Scientists seem to be trying new things without stopping to think about the consequences Neither/nor Strongly agree Don’t know Tend to disagree Tend to agree Strongly disagree Base: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates: 11 October-19 December 2010 41% Agree 30% Disagree

19. Concerns often stem from a lack of understanding of how science is done

20. Many still have a stereotypical view of scientists, which came across in workshops “ A scientist is a teacher at mum’s school and they mostly do experiments on animals. I would describe them as freaky and weird.” “ You think of white coats … they are like advanced doctors.” “ When we don’t know much about scientists we get the impression they are airy-fairy, head in the clouds.” Changing ingrained perceptions is a slow process

21. Many assume scientific data are checked… Before scientific findings are announced, other scientists have checked them Scientists adjust their findings to get the answers they want Base: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates: 11 October-19 December 2010 Q For each of the statements, please could you tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree? % Agree % Strongly agree % Tend to agree % Neither/nor % Tend to disagree % Strongly disagree % Don't know 62% 36% … but don’t know this is a formalised process called peer review, so doubts linger “ Don’t we tend to look after our own? Sometimes we’re very critical, but doctors tend to be a closed circle and if one makes an error they … cover up and protect their own.” London participant

22. The kind of formalised process people want to see is often in place, but not known about If I knew that the findings had been formally reviewed by other scientists If I heard the same thing from a number of different sources If they had been published in a scientific journal If they fitted in with other things I know already If I could see the original study for myself If I saw them on a TV programme If the research had been done in the UK If I read them in a broadsheet newspaper If I had heard of the place where the research was done If I saw them on the internet Q Which of these, if any, would make you more likely to believe the findings of scientific studies? Base: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates: 11 October-19 December 2010 Top ten mentions

23. But engaging with the public to improve this understanding is challenging

24. Most want to hear more about science than they currently do… far too much (2%) Don’t know the right amount too much too little Q Which of the following statements on this card do you most agree with? These days I hear and see … information about science far too little Base for 2011: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates for 2011: 11 October-19 December 2010 8% too much/far too much 51% too little/ far too little

25. … but more information does not always make people feel more informed… www.youtube.com/user/bisgovuk#p/a/u/0/DW61a3ni4Xc

26. … but more information does not always make people feel more informed… Base for 2011: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates for 2011: 11 October-19 December 2010 Q How well informed do you feel, if at all, about science, and scientific research and developments? % Informed trend Bang Goes the Theory starts on primetime BBC One slot BBC Year of Science Government’s Science: So What campaign

27. … especially when there is conflicting information to deal with… Q Please could you tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement? There is so much conflicting information about science it is difficult to know what to believe Neither/nor Strongly agree Don’t know Tend to disagree Tend to agree Strongly disagree (1%) Base: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates: 11 October-19 December 2010 70% Agree 11% Disagree April 2008 July 2008

28. … and for one in four, hearing more about science makes them more anxious Q Please could you tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statement? The more I know about science, the more worried I am Neither/nor Strongly agree Don’t know (1%) Tend to disagree Tend to agree Strongly disagree Base: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates: 11 October-19 December 2010 24% Agree 53% Disagree

29. Most want the public to be involved, but few want to be involved themselves Don’t know I’m not interested in public consultation on science issues, as long as scientists are doing their jobs I would like to know that the public are consulted on science issues, but I don’t want to be involved personally I would like to have more of a say in science issues I would like to become actively involved in public consultations on science issues I am already actively involved in public consultations on science issues Base: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+ Fieldwork dates: 11 October-19 December 2010 Q Which of these statements, if any, comes closest to your own attitude to public consultation on science issues? But still 17 million people wanting more involvement

30. So how do you engage these different groups in ways prefer and respond to? Segmentation holds the clues…