Kiwis Have High Trust In Science, Study Finds – Expert Reaction

A global study finds that most people hold relatively
high levels of trust in scientists, with New Zealanders
ranking 9th highest in the world.

The international
study team surveyed over 70,000 people across 68 countries,
including 2000 New Zealanders. Most people in Aotearoa New
Zealand and overseas also believe that scientists should
play a greater role in society and policymaking, and that
scientists should talk about science with the
public.

The Science Media Centre asked experts to
comment.

Dr Troy Baisden, Co-President of the
New Zealand Association of Scientists, Principal
Investigator Te Pūnaha Matatini Centre of Research
Excellence in Complexity, Affiliate of Motu Economic and
Public Policy Research, Victoria University of Wellington,
and University of Auckland, comments:

“The
global survey and analysis of trust in scientists and their
role in societies across 68 countries provides timely
insights at a time that isn’t proving easy for science or
science institutions. Budgets are tightening and divisive
politics are combining with social media to undermine trust.
Trouble has been brewing for decades, as the pact between
society and science that leads politicians to favour trust
over detailed, contract and competition-driven
accountability has been fraying. New Zealand could be a
canary in the coal mine for a series of global trends, that
are reversing in some nations but not others.

“At
first glance, it appears unsurprising that New Zealand ranks
near the top of the list for trust in science – just
behind Australia yet ahead of the US, UK and Canada. It
might be at least a little surprising that nations like us
trust scientists much more than Russia, but also much more
than Israel, Taiwan or Italy. Even if the rankings don’t
come as a surprise, the value of this research is the
ability to dive deep into the
data and compare ourselves to other nations and the
global mean.

“Embedded in the data products
associated with this research is the suggestion that New
Zealand ranks very highly, along with Australia and the US
in ‘populist attitudes toward science.’ This means that
Kiwis tend to think common sense, and perhaps a bit of
number 8 wire, has more value in addressing problems than
input from experts. Perhaps surprisingly this tendency is
greater among the young (18-29) and those with tertiary
education.

“We are also among the nations who
overwhelmingly believe scientists should communicate with
the public (79% ‘strongly agree’ or ‘agree’), and to
politicians (65%). Perhaps more controversially, 55-60% of
New Zealand respondents here believe scientists should be
involved in policy-making processes, work with politicians
in doing so, and should advocate for specific policies.
While against some scientific training, these views are
increasingly the norm – particularly around health issues
such as fluoridation or vaccination, keeping people safe
from natural hazards, and responding effectively to climate
change.

“It should be noted that the perception of
scientists can differ from the perception of research
institutes and universities, and neither should necessarily
be assumed to be positive, given historical support for
matters ranging from racism, abuse of power, and putting
money ahead of ethics or public good. Despite this
scientists are positively perceived. Understanding the
details can help us understand why we as a nation fail to
fund the science we need, and are currently failing to
complete reforms that have been widely understood to be
needed and increasingly urgent for 4–5
years.

“This research comments directly on one of
the stumbling blocks for reform – setting priorities to
fund and support. The survey found that we were not unusual
in seeing that science takes aims at goals such as military
technology more than it should prioritise them, and
conversely it places less focus than it should on improving
public health, solving energy problems and reducing poverty.
Perhaps we would learn more if the survey topics included
more examples of high relevance to us as a
nation?

“Regardless, this study brings
us toward an important understanding of trust in scientists
and why we as a nation might want to support their careers,
rather than an a la carte series of science contracts and
their outputs. Understanding that scientists deserve support
because of public trust is important in its own right, at a
time when our funding and support for careers appears to be
in crisis.

“It is no accident that this
survey chose scientists as the object to study trust, rather
than science as a whole, science institutions, or scientific
methods. It is worth noting, because the former Minister of
Science, Innovation and Technology has recently excluded
social science from research funding mechanisms, this study
included social science within its broad definition, as it
should given their importance in addressing grand challenges
such as climate change and public health. These challenges
require supporting scientists and their careers as part of a
system worthy of trust.”

No conflicts of
interest.

Associate Professor Fabien
Medvecky, Associate Director – Research, Australian
National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science (CPAS),
The Australian National University,
comments:

“The current study “Trust in
scientists and their role in society across 68 countries”
is probably the broadest and most robust work I’ve seen
that addresses the issue of trust in science, and especially
trust in scientists across the globe.

“After
surveying nearly 72,000 people across 68 countries, here are
the things that stand out. Firstly, there is not one country
that shows low levels of trust in science. But there is
variation across countries. Egypt and India have, by far,
the highest trust in science but the Antipodean countries
also show very high levels of trust. Australia ranks 5th and
New Zealand 9th in overall trust in scientists (US=12th,
UK=15th).

“More interesting is that many
of the stories we hear about leads to (dis)trust are
challenged when we take a broader, more robust look.
Religiosity (often used as an example of anti-science,
especially in the US) is in fact positively correlated with
trust in science on a global level. Conversely, science
literacy has almost no effect on trust in
science.

“The study also looks at how
scientists should engage with society. Most people across
the globe think scientists should contribute to public
debates and policymaking (~50-55% for, ~25% neutral, and
~25% against), but the strongest call by far is for more
science communication with a whopping 83% of people thinking
scientists should communicate to the general public about
their work.

“If there are any major lessons for New
Zealand, it’s that our privileged position of high trust
in science and scientists is likely going to worsen if
government continues to strip funding for social science as
these are what underpins effective science
communication.”

Conflict of interest statement:
“Nothing direct, but I know and have collaborated with a
number of the authors, including the main person behind the
study
(NGM).”

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