This report is based on a survey of U.S. members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), one of the world’s largest organizations dedicated to scientific inquiry. The report explores the degree to which there is variation in views about science-related topics among surveyed AAAS members depending on their discipline, education, employment status and research experiences.
This report elaborates findings first released in January of this year. That initial report analyzed data from two surveys by Pew Research Center conducted in collaboration with the AAAS: a wide-ranging and diverse canvassing of 3,748 AAAS members based in the U.S. and a representative survey of 2,002 U.S. adults (those ages 18 and older). The January report focused on a comparison of the general public and AAAS scientists as a whole. A follow-up report examined in more detail the ways in which scientists interact with citizens and journalists and their reasons for doing so. A further analysis released this month looked at the underpinning of the general public’s views about science-related topics based on their political and ideological outlooks, their level of education and science knowledge, their religious affiliations, and differences associated with various demographic factors.
The current report is based on both the survey of AAAS members and U.S. adults. The report is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of the following individuals. Find related reports online at pewresearch.org <https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/packages/science-and-society/>
Lee Rainie, Director Internet, Science, and Technology Research Cary Funk, Associate Director, Research Brian Kennedy, Research Associate Monica Anderson, Research Analyst Maeve Duggan, Research Associate Kenneth Olmstead, Research Associate Andrew Perrin, Research Assistant Dana Page, Communications Manager Shannon Greenwood, Assistant Digital Producer Margaret Porteus, Information Graphics Designer
The fieldwork for both surveys was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. Contact with AAAS members invited to participate in the survey was managed by AAAS staff with the help of Princeton Survey Research Associates International; AAAS also covered part of the costs associated with mailing its members. All other costs of conducting the pair of surveys were covered by the Pew Research Center. Pew Research bears all responsibility for the content, design and analysis of both the AAAS member survey and the survey of the general public.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks go to Jeanne Braha and Tiffany Lohwater of AAAS who facilitated the interactions between Pew Research and AAAS staff to conduct the survey of members. Thanks also go to Ian King, director of marketing at AAAS, as well as Elizabeth Sattler and Julianne Wielga, who prepared the random sample of members and sent out all contacts with AAAS members selected for participation. We also are grateful to the team at Princeton Survey Research International who led the data collection efforts for the two surveys.
