When Americans think about science, what do they have in mind?
65% of U.S. adults say science has had a mostly positive effect on society; 28% say it has had an equal mix of positive and negative effects.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
65% of U.S. adults say science has had a mostly positive effect on society; 28% say it has had an equal mix of positive and negative effects.
77% think vaccinations will benefit the economy.
Still about two-in-ten U.S. adults are “pretty certain” they won’t get the vaccine – even when there’s more information.
81% of Black Americans consider the outbreak a major threat to public health and about half see it as a major threat to their personal health.
Trust in scientists and medical scientists has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, with 29% of U.S. adults saying they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public. This is down from 40% in November 2020 and 35% in January 2019, before COVID-19 emerged. Other prominent groups – including the military, police officers and public school principals – have also seen their ratings decline.
Large majorities value government investments in science and consider it important for the United States to be a world leader in scientific achievement, but few think the country is gaining ground globally.
Black Americans stand out from other racial and ethnic groups in their attitudes toward key health care questions associated with the pandemic.
Americans’ expectations for the year ahead include an effective treatment or cure for COVID-19, as well as a vaccine to prevent the disease.
Majorities of Americans support an array of measures to address climate change but stop short of a full break with fossil fuels.
There’s a 14-point gap between the shares of White and Black adults in the U.S. who say they have a great deal of confidence in scientists.
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