Scientific Progress, Risk and Development: Explaining Attitudes Toward Science Cross-Nationally

• In Event: 413 - Regular Session. Cross-National Sociology

Abstract

In recent decades, academics and journalists in Western industrialized countries have become concerned over declining confidence in science (see Mooney and Kirshenbaum 2009, Berezow and Campbell 2012). Some research finds that the decline is concentrated among political and religious conservatives (e.g. Gauchat 2012), while others argue that anti-science opposition to specific politically-charged issues is found among the Left as well. Risk society theory (Beck 1992, Giddens 1999) argues that individuals in developed societies are increasingly focused on the environmental and human costs of development and on minimizing risks. We propose that this may decrease their confidence in science, relative to those in less developed countries. This theoretical basis is used in examining confidence in science across 47 diverse countries using the 2010-2014 World Values Survey and hierarchical linear modeling. We find support for our hypothesis that confidence in science is lower in risk societies. Specifically, results of HLM show that living in countries with high tertiary enrollment and internet access decreases confidence in science. Also, respondents in countries with higher infant mortality rates express greater confidence in science. Individual attitudes also predict confidence; those most confident in science are secular and socially and politically liberal. Also supporting the hypothesis that those in risk societies are less confident in science, we find that post-materialist attitudes are associated with lower support for science (words=220).

Authors

• Anne M. Price, Valdosta State University

• Lindsey P. Peterson, Mississippi State University