Polling Shows Signs of Public Trust in Institutions amid the Pandemic
Americans see “social distancing” measures urged by public health officials to limit the spread of COVID-19 as generally appropriate.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Americans see “social distancing” measures urged by public health officials to limit the spread of COVID-19 as generally appropriate.
Black Americans stand out from other racial and ethnic groups in their attitudes toward key health care questions associated with the pandemic.
44% of Americans have a great deal of confidence in the scientific community, while 47% have only some confidence and 7% have hardly any.
In 2019, 74% of Americans said they had a mostly positive view of doctors; 68% had a mostly favorable view of medical research scientists.
Here is a roundup of key takeaways from our studies of U.S. public opinion about science issues and their effect on society.
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.
Americans have broadly positive views of scientists and their work but are more tepid when it comes to trusting their competence, credibility and concern for the public interest.
Public confidence in scientists is on the upswing, and six-in-ten Americans say scientists should play an active role in policy debates about scientific issues, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
About nine-in-ten Americans see research scientists as intelligent, while a smaller majority describe them as good communicators.
A strong majority of the American public thinks of science as having a positive effect on society, and most expect continued benefits to accrue from science in the years ahead.
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