The general public’s political views are strongly linked to their attitudes on climate and energy issues. But politics is a less important factor on biomedical, food safety, space issues.
This chapter looks at a handful of issues in the biomedical arena. No single set of factors is central to explaining views across all of these topics. One of the issues we examined related to changing a baby’s genetic characteristics for specific purposes. Views of genetic modification are influenced by religious observance, as measured by […]
Public opinion about climate and energy issues is strongly divided along political party and ideological lines. This chapter reviews those patterns underlying beliefs about climate change, perceived consensus among scientists about climate change, and views about one policy prescription aimed at reducing climate change. Liberal Democrats are especially inclined to hold the view that the […]
Despite broadly similar views about the overall place of science in America, there are striking differences between the public and scientists’ views on a host of science-related issues.