Science for good? The effects of education and national context on perceptions of science

Abstract

Pressing environmental, social, and economic problems require interventions informed by scientific expertise yet skepticism of organized science runs high among some groups. Numerous studies show how individual-level experiences and identities translate into attitudes about science, but less is known about the contextual factors that shape these beliefs. We employ regression models using data from the International Social Survey Program and the World Development Indicators to examine how national levels of scientific activity influence public perceptions of science. Our analysis of data from 76,858 individuals in 41 countries finds that education is associated with greater appreciation of science cross-nationally. This relationship is amplified in countries with high levels of scientific activity and attenuated in countries with less scientific activity. These results underscore the importance of national context for understanding perceptions of science, and suggest that improving science attitudes requires attention to both individual and country-level factors.