Public

Attitudes
to Science
2014
 The State of Public Attitudes to Science
Enthusiasm for science Science and the economy Expectations of scientists and engineers Understanding of how scientists work
BENEFITS & HARM IMPORTANCE OF SCIENCE INTEREST SCIENTISTS ADJUSTING THEIR FINDINGS
Open Creative Good at Scientists adjust their findings

55%
minded 28% communicating

91%
The benets to get the answers they want
of science are Young peoples interest in 33% 22%
greater than science is essential for our

35% 34%
Ethical Interesting
any harmful [1988 45%] [16-24yrs 84%] future prosperity (agree) 13%
effects (agree) 38%

SPEED OF SCIENCE & THE Honest Open [agree] [disagree]

CHANGE INTERNATIONAL STAGE 45% 13%

34% ETHICS INFORMATION REWARDS

81%
Science makes our The UK needs to develop its

be
should
way of life change too [1988 49%] science and technology sector
fast (agree) in order to enhance its ** are arent
*
[16-24yrs 71%] international competitiveness (agree)
SCIENCE IN DAILY LIFE SCIENCE & FAITH See notes for question wording and base size information

SCIENCE & GROWTH SCIENCE & OPPORTUNITY ENGINEERS

72%
It is important We depend too much on Good at

68% 58% 53%

to know about science and not enough communicating

76% 62%
science in my on faith Honest 29% Ethical

30%
daily life (agree) [1988 57%] 33% 24%
Open I would like Scientists put Scientists should
[16-24yrs 73%] [16-24yrs 63%] minded Interesting scientists to spend too little effort be rewarded
[1988 44%] Scientific Because of 35% 13% more time into informing for communicating
research science and discussing the the public about their research
makes a direct technology, Creative Open social and ethical their work to the public
contribution to there will be more 48% 9% implications of (agree) (agree)
economic work opportunities their work with
growth in for the next the general public

be
should
the UK generation (agree)
(agree) (agree) ** are arent
*

Engagement with Science

Public awareness Finding out about scientific research Trust in science journalism Public involvement
How well informed do you feel, if at all, about science, and scientific
research and developments? (very/fairly well informed) ALL 16-24yrs RELIABILITY NEW TECHNOLOGY DECISION MAKING

45%
[all]
51%
[16-24yrs]
TV news
TV other
Print newspapers
42%
26%
23%
TV news
Online news
Social networks
34%
24%
19%
Journalists check the reliability
of scientific research findings 28%
Online news 15% TV other 17% before they write about them [mostly/always true]

71% 43%
Friends/family/colleagues 12% Friends/family/colleagues 13%

From which one or two of these, if any, do you hear or read about QUALIFICATIONS
new scientific research findings most often? [2005 74 %] I would like to know that
Journalists who write We ought to hear about the public are involved in

16%
stories about potential new areas of decision-making about science
90% 31% 83% 55% science have a science and technology issues, but I dont want
science degree or before they happen, not to be involved personally
OFFLINE ONLINE OFFLINE ONLINE similar qualification [mostly/always true] afterwards (agree)
 #PAS2014

TECHNICAL NOTE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Public Attitudes to Science (PAS) 2014 is the fifth in a visit: www.ipsos-mori.com/pas2014
series of studies looking at attitudes to science, scientists
and science policy among the UK public. The study was
conducted by Ipsos MORI, in partnership with the British
Science Association, on behalf of the Department for
Business, Innovation and Skills and co-funded by the
Economic and Social Research Council.

Ipsos MORI conducted 1,749 interviews with UK adults aged

16+ and a booster survey of 315 16-24 year-olds. Interviews
were carried out face to face between 15th July and 18th
November 2013.
All figures are based on all respondents (1,749 UK adults
aged 16+) except where marked: 16-24 year-olds (510 UK
adults aged 16-24), 1988 (2,009 GB adults aged 18+)
858 UK adults aged 16+ 891 UK adults aged 16+.
Scientists and engineers questions:
Which one or two of these words or phrases do you think it
is most important for scientists/engineers to be? / Which of
each of these pairs of words or phrases comes closest to
your current view of scientists/engineers?