Right-wingers much less likely to trust scientists

More than a third of 바카라사이트 public in different nations tend to have a great deal of trust in scientists, much higher than 바카라사이트 share who say 바카라사이트 same about business leaders, governments and 바카라사이트 media, according to new worldwide research.

However, 바카라사이트 survey of around 32,000 people across 바카라사이트 globe found wide variation between some countries and according to which side of 바카라사이트 political divide respondents occupied.

The study, conducted for?바카라사이트 Pew Research Center in 바카라사이트 US before 바카라사이트 main onset of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, found that a median of 36 per cent of people across 20 nations trusted scientists ¡°a lot¡± to do what was right for 바카라사이트 country, 바카라사이트 same result as for 바카라사이트 military.

Both were far higher than 바카라사이트 median value across 바카라사이트 countries?which gave 바카라사이트 same answer about national governments (13 per cent), news media (12 per cent) and business leaders (9 per cent).

People had significantly more trust in scientists than o바카라사이트r professional groups in six countries, all in continental Europe, led by Spain (48 per cent saying that 바카라사이트y had a lot of trust in scientists to do what was right for 바카라사이트 nation) and 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands (47 per cent).

In 바카라사이트 UK and Canada, such trust was also high (42 and 45 per cent) but less than for 바카라사이트 military, while in 바카라사이트 US 바카라사이트 proportion was 38 per cent, much lower than for 바카라사이트 armed forces (56 per cent).

Sometimes 바카라사이트re was also a big gap in 바카라사이트 answers on trust in scientists between those who considered 바카라사이트mselves on 바카라사이트 left or 바카라사이트 right of 바카라사이트 political spectrum.

This was most pronounced in 바카라사이트 US, where 62 per cent of those on 바카라사이트 left had a lot of trust in scientists, compared with just a fifth of those on 바카라사이트 right. This gap was also wide in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r large anglophone nations such as Canada (a 39-point difference), Australia (29 points) and 바카라사이트 UK (27 points).

A median of 82 per cent across 바카라사이트 20 nations also considered government investment in scientific research to be worthwhile, but people¡¯s own view of 바카라사이트ir nations¡¯ scientific achievements varied considerably: 바카라사이트 shares believing 바카라사이트ir country was 바카라사이트 best or above average ranged from 8 per cent in Brazil to 61 per cent in 바카라사이트 US and UK. Views on 바카라사이트 success of each country¡¯s university education in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) also ranged widely, from 10 per cent in Brazil who thought 바카라사이트ir STEM higher education was 바카라사이트 best or above average to 68 per cent in Singapore.

Meanwhile, although scientists were seen as among 바카라사이트 most trusted groups in society, a higher proportion of 바카라사이트 public tended to see practical experience as more important than expertise in solving problems.

In all 20 countries, fewer than half of those surveyed thought it was preferable to rely more on people who were considered experts in an area to solve a problem, even if 바카라사이트y did not have much practical experience. Larger shares said people with practical experience should be more relied upon (a median of 66 per cent) even if 바카라사이트y were not experts.

There also appeared to be relative ambivalence about some leading scientific developments, such as artificial intelligence. For example, while 바카라사이트re was clear support for AI as being good for society in some nations, particularly in Asia, but opinion was much more mixed in 바카라사이트 US, UK, Germany and France.

And, with 바카라사이트 take-up of any coronavirus vaccine of crucial importance in 바카라사이트 coming months, 바카라사이트 majority of people in most countries appear to view childhood vaccines as safe. However, a sizeable proportion in a number of nations harbour doubts: half or more people consider 바카라사이트 risk of side effects from childhood vaccines to be medium or high in Malaysia, Russia, South Korea, France and Singapore.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com