Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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The following tables detail public knowledge about science by education, age, gender, race and ethnicity for each of the nine questions in the science knowledge index. These tables are followed by summary statistics showing the results of a series of statistical models predicting people’s beliefs about climate change and their views of climate scientists from […]
As Barack Obama prepares to leave office, the public is divided over a signature policy of his presidency: The Affordable Care Act. Currently, about as many approve of the 2010 health care law as disapprove (48% vs. 47%). The balance of opinion is somewhat more positive today than in October (when 46% approved and 51% […]
In the wake of Trump’s victory, most Americans are able to correctly identify which candidate won the most Electoral College votes, most individual votes nationwide and the most votes in the state they live in. About eight-in-ten (78%) correctly identify Trump as the candidate who received the most Electoral College votes. Most also correctly identify […]
Voters remain wary of U.S. global involvement. A majority (54%) says that the U.S. should deal with its own problems and let other countries deal with their problems as best as they can; 41% say the U.S. should help other countries deal with their problems. This is largely unchanged since April, when 57% said the […]
Scholars have long debated the role knowledge about and understanding of science plays in shaping people’s views on science issues. The common supposition is that when ordinary people have different views from those of experts that the differences stem from knowledge gaps: If people knew more, the argument goes, they would agree with the experts. […]