Are scientists trusted around the world?
The authority of science has been questioned after the global pandemic. This sounded the alarm about low public trust in scientists. But as these narratives spread, how substantiated are they? Does evidence support the idea of an erosion in trust in scientists?
What crisis of confidence?
A survey conducted during the period 2022-2023 on trust in scientists and their role in society claims that these concerns are overblown. Public confidence in science remains strong worldwide. Led by the University of Zurich (UZH) and ETH Zurich, it is the largest study since the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings are published in the journal ‘Nature Human Behaviour’. Surveying nearly 72 000 respondents in 68 countries revealed that the majority trust scientists. “Our results show that most people in most countries have a relatively high level of trust in scientists and want them to play an active role in society and politics,” principal investigator Viktoria Cologna of ETH Zurich commented in a news release. The team of 241 researchers measured views about scientists’ perceived competence, benevolence, integrity and openness. The majority of survey participants perceive scientists to be qualified (78 %), honest (57 %) and concerned about people’s well-being (56 %). In addition, 83 % believe that scientists should communicate about science with the general population. Only 23 % believe that scientists shouldn’t strongly support specific policies. Just over half (52 %) believe they should play a greater role in the policymaking process.
Global thumbs-up
Public trust was highest in Egypt and lowest in Albania. In the EU, the Spanish (7th) trusted scientists the most, followed by the Irish (14th), Swedish (20th), Danish (22nd) and Finish (28th). At the bottom was Slovakia (60th), after Italy (57th) and Greece (56th). None of the countries reported low trust in scientists. Slightly higher levels of trust were found in women, the elderly and residents of urban areas, as well as people with high incomes, religiosity, formal education, and liberal and left-leaning political orientations. The survey highlighted areas for improvement. Just under half of the respondents (42 %) believe scientists are open to input or pay attention to the opinions 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,” explained co-author Niels G. Mede of UZH. “We recommend that scientists take these results seriously and find ways to be more receptive to feedback and open to dialogue with the public.” “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,” added co-author Eleonora Alabrese, an economist from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, in a press release. “These findings are crucial for scientists and policymakers working to maintain public trust in science.”
Keywords
scientist, science, trust, public, confidence, public trust, policymaking