Information About Science And Technology
MORI research for NESTA (the National Endowment for Science and Technology) shows that the British public feel it important to be informed about new developments in science and technology (90%). The media (66%) and government (51%) are seen as having the main responsibility for providing information, support or advice about science to the general public, with scientists at 30%.
The vast majority of the public (95%) think it is important for scientists to use the popular media such as television, radio or newspapers to keep the public informed of new developments in science and technology. David Attenborough and Patrick Moore are the two all-time favourite science presenters (each being mentioned by nine per cent), although 53% of the public could not name a favourite science presenter.
Topline Results
- 1,965 respondents aged 15+ across Great Britain
- Interviews carried out face-to-face, in home
- Fieldwork conducted between 20-25 October
- Results based on all (1,965), unless otherwise stated
- Results are weighted to the known GB population profile
- An asterisk (*) denotes a finding of less than 0.5%, but greater than zero
- Where figures do not add up to 100, this is due to multiple coding or computer rounding
Q1 Using this card, how important, if at all, do you feel it is for the general public to be informed about new developments in science and technology?
| 160 | % |
|---|---|
| Very important | 48 |
| Fairly Important | 42 |
| Not very important | 5 |
| Not at all important | 2 |
| Don't know / No opinion | 3 |
Q2 Why do you say that? Base: All those who think it is important for the general public to be informed about developments in science and technology (1,774)
| 160 | % |
|---|---|
| To raise awareness / improve people's knowledge of science and technology | 24 |
| Science has implications / concerns for everyone | 24 |
| Information / results / research should be available to all | 24 |
| Science impacts on our everyday lives | 22 |
| To communicate the benefits to the public | 16 |
| So the public knows the problems that can occur / what the implications are / the effects on the world | 16 |
| Good to be informed / keep up-to-date | 6 |
| It will encourage people / young people to enter science / go into research | 6 |
| Greater accountability of scientists | 6 |
| To dispel fear / improve perception / attitude to science | 6 |
| Improve the image of science | 4 |
| Too technical / specialised for ordinary people / Don't understand science | 2 |
| Don't trust what scientists tell me | 1 |
| Public lack of interest | 1 |
| Not relevant to the public | * |
| Other | 5 |
| Don't know | 5 |
Q2 Why do you say that? Base: All those who think it is not important for the general public to be informed about developments in science and technology (127)
| 160 | % |
|---|---|
| Not relevant to the public | 28 |
| Too technical / specialised for ordinary people / Don't understand science | 27 |
| Public lack of interest | 19 |
| Don't trust what scientists tell me | 5 |
| Information / results / research should be available to all | 3 |
| Good to be informed / keep up-to-date | 2 |
| Greater accountability of scientists | 2 |
| To communicate the benefits to the public | 2 |
| Improve the image of science | 2 |
| It will encourage people / young people to enter science / go into research | 1 |
| So the public knows the problems that can occur / what the implications are / the effects on the world | 1 |
| Science has implications / concerns for everyone | 1 |
| To dispel fear / improve perception / attitude to science | 0 |
| Science impacts on our everyday lives | 0 |
| To raise awareness / improve people's knowledge of science and technology | 0 |
| Other | 12 |
| Don't know | 14 |
Q3 On these two cards is a list of things. Which two or three, if any, of the following, do you think have the main responsibility for providing information, support or advice about science to the general public?
| 160 | % |
|---|---|
| Government | 51 |
| Newspapers | 39 |
| TV | 32 |
| Companies / Industry / Business | 21 |
| Internet / Worldwide web | 17 |
| Scientists working for government | 15 |
| Radio | 12 |
| Scientists working in universities | 9 |
| GP / Family Doctors | 9 |
| Scientists working for industry | 9 |
| Magazines | 8 |
| Scientists working for charities (e.g. Cancer Research UK) | 8 |
| Universities | 5 |
| Charities (e.g. Alzheimer's Society) | 4 |
| Pressure groups | 4 |
| Friends and family | 4 |
| Word-of-mouth | 2 |
| Personal experience | 2 |
| Religious organisations | 1 |
| Work colleagues | * |
| None of these | 1 |
| Don't know | 4 |
Q4 On these two cards is a list of things. Which, if any, would you say is the most effective method for scientists to communicate new developments in science and technology that affect all of us?
| 160 | % |
|---|---|
| Talking to TV or radio journalists | 26 |
| Speaking on TV / radio | 25 |
| Talking at schools and colleges | 10 |
| Talking to journalists at national newspapers | 8 |
| Writing for the National press | 8 |
| The Internet | 4 |
| Publishing articles in the popular science press (e.g. New Scientist) | 4 |
| Talking to journalists at local newspapers | 2 |
| Talking to journalists in the popular science press (e.g. New Scientist) | 2 |
| Science festivals aimed primarily at the general public (e.g. The Edinburgh Festival) | 1 |
| Writing for the Local press | 1 |
| Participating in open days for the general public at institutions | 1 |
| Speaking at public meetings | 1 |
| Science festivals aimed primarily at scientists | * |
| Books | * |
| DVDs | * |
| Other | 1 |
| None of these | 2 |
| Don't know | 5 |
Q5 On these three cards is a list of things. Which, if any of the following, would you say are the main BARRIERS to greater understanding of science and technology in general, among the general public? Please also include any that you may have mentioned at the earlier question.
| 160 | % |
|---|---|
| A lack of appreciation (among the public) of how science affects the general public | 35 |
| Lack of public interest / Apathy | 29 |
| Scientific jargon / technical language / the terminology | 29 |
| Lack of education | 28 |
| Little public understanding of what scientists do | 24 |
| Lack of knowledge about the facts of science | 23 |
| Lack of relevance of information presented, to everyday lives | 23 |
| Fear of science | 23 |
| Biased media coverage | 21 |
| Insufficient media coverage | 21 |
| Unimaginative / boring information / lacking creativity | 20 |
| Lack of awareness among scientists of the public's understanding of science | 20 |
| Lack of information about science | 18 |
| The complexity of science | 17 |
| Lack of funding | 16 |
| Government policy | 14 |
| Commercial or other barriers to publishing information | 13 |
| Lack of communication skills among scientists | 13 |
| Misrepresentation of research results by funders of science | 12 |
| Scientific facts not presented accurately | 10 |
| Media portrays scientists inaccurately | 7 |
| Other | 1 |
| None of these | 2 |
| Don't know | 8 |
Q6 How important, if at all, do you think it is for scientists to use the popular media, such as television, radio or newspapers, to keep the public informed of new developments in science and technology?
| 160 | % |
|---|---|
| Very important | 69 |
| Fairly important | 26 |
| Not very important | 3 |
| Not at all important | 1 |
| Don't know | 2 |
Q7 Who, if anyone, do you think is your all-time favourite science presenter?
| 160 | % |
|---|---|
| David Attenborough | 9 |
| Patrick Moore | 9 |
| Robert Winston | 6 |
| Johnny Ball | 5 |
| Adam Hart-Davis | 3 |
| James Burke | 3 |
| Magnus Pyke | 3 |
| Raymond Baxter | 2 |
| David Bellamy | 1 |
| Heinz Wolff | 1 |
| Stephen Hawkins | 1 |
| Carl Sagan | 1 |
| Kate Humble | * |
| Simon Singh | * |
| Raj Persaud | * |
| Martin Rees | * |
| Cathy Sykes | * |
| Other | 8 |
| Don't know | 53 |
