AMERICANS'  ATTITUDES  ABOUT  SCIENCE  AND  TECHNOLOGY:     THE  SOCIAL  CONTEXT  FOR  PUBLIC  COMMUNICATION  

 

  Commissioned  Review     in  Support  of  the  Alan  Leshner  Leadership  Institute   American  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science                       Prepared  by       Matthew  C.  Nisbet   Associate  Professor   Communication,  Public  Policy  &  Urban  Affairs   Northeastern  University     Ezra  Markowitz   Assistant  Professor   Environmental  Conservation   University  of  Massachusetts-­‐Amherst                                

Science  &  Technology  Attitudes   2   PREFACE         AAAS  describes  public  engagement  with  science  as  intentional,  meaningful  interactions   that  provide  opportunities  for  mutual  learning  between  scientists  and  members  of  the  public.   Through  the  Alan  I.  Leshner  Leadership  Institute  for  Public  Engagement  with  Science,  AAAS   empowers  scientists  and  engineers  to  practice  high-­‐impact  public  engagement  by  fostering   leaders  who  advocate  for  critical  dialogue  between  scientists  and  the  public  and  lead  change  to   enable  their  communities,  institutions,  and  others  to  support  public  engagement.         This  report,  with  additional  work  on  understanding  mechanisms  for  institutional  change,   as  well  as  practical  experience  in  public  engagement  with  science,  will  guide  the  work  of  the   Leshner  Leadership  Institute  and  its  Public  Engagement  Fellows,  as  well  as  other  programs  of   the  AAAS  Center  for  Public  Engagement  with  Science  (Center).         The  Center,  which  manages  the  Leshner  Leadership  Institute,  offers  this  paper  as  a   resource  for  the  broader  community  of  public  engagement  practitioners,  researchers,  and   scientists  doing  public  engagement.  

Science  &  Technology  Attitudes   3   OVERVIEW  

     In  this  report  we  review  U.S.  public  knowledge  and  attitudes  about  science  and   technology,  assessing  general  trends  and  analyzing  specific  controversies.  Drawing  on  more   than  100  national  surveys  and  peer-­‐reviewed  studies,  our  analysis  provides  a  foundation  for   critically  assessing  different  communication  strategies  and  for  benchmarking  the  impact  of   various  initiatives.  We  focus  on  the  following  specific  questions  and  topics,  emphasizing  the   broad  implications  for  public  communication:     o How  are  Americans  receiving,  seeking  out,  and  passing  on  information  about  science  and   technology  by  way  of  interpersonal  conversations,  traditional  news  outlets,  the  Internet,   and  social  media?  What  are  the  effects  of  these  communication  behaviors  and  choices?       o What  is  the  connection  between  various  forms  of  scientific  knowledge  and  public  attitudes?   How  do  factors  such  as  political  ideology  or  religiosity  influence  the  role  that  knowledge   plays?       o How  do  Americans  view  the  relationship  between  science,  government,  and  society?    What   role  do  various  forms  of  trust  play  in  shaping  public  attitudes?  How  do  public  views  of   scientists  compare  to  other  influential  societal  groups?       o How  much  public  support  is  there  for  government  funding  of  science?  How  do  Americans   view  the  social  impacts  of  science?  What  role  do  views  about  science  and  society  play  in   shaping  attitudes  about  specific  controversies  or  debates?     o What  role  do  beliefs  about  scientific  consensus  play  in  shaping  perceptions  of  climate   change?    How  does  the  public  view  the  severity  and  immediacy  of  climate  change  and  what   factors  influence  these  views?       o Do  Americans  believe  they  can  take  actions  to  address  climate  change,  or  that  society  and   its  leaders  are  capable  of  acting  in  time?  How  divided  ar