attitudes to science

Comparing the Opinions of the Science Community and the General

Public in Ireland An Amárach Briefing to Science Foundation Ireland

November 2017

➢ Background & Methodology

➢ SECTION 1: The Impact of Science

➢ SECTION 2: Climate Change & Natural Resources

➢ SECTION 3: Medicine & Food

➢ SECTION 4: Evolution & The Big Bang

➢ SECTION 5: The Role of Science

➢ SECTION 6: Scientists & Scientific Achievements

Awareness

➢ SECTION 7: Comparing Ireland Internationally

Presentation Structure

➢ In advance of Science Week 2017, Science Foundation Ireland sought to conduct

research to measure and compare the opinions of the general public and the science

community in Ireland. Questions were asked across a range of subject including the

impact of science on everyday life, climate change and evolution, amongst others.

➢ The research format was based on the Pew Research Centre, a non-partisan think

tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world.

➢ The objective of the research was to uncover any differences and/ or similarities in the

views and perceptions of the general public and Irish scientists on issues relating to

science and everyday life.

➢ A national online survey of 1,000 adults* was conducted between 13th – 17th October,

while 238 members of the science community were surveyed online, via an email link

sent to researchers working in academia and industry by Science Foundation Ireland.

*referred to as general public throughout

Background & Methodology

The Impact of Science

3% 5%

28%

41%

23%

8%

0%3%

22%

67%

Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree

Public Science Community

Q.1 Science has had a positive impact on people’s lives in Ireland.

Public – 1,001

Scientists - 239

56%65%

Transport

Public Vs. Science Community % who believe science has had a positive impact on…

Public – 1,001

Scientists - 239

65%

85%

Food

61%

79%

The Environment

62%

83%

Quality of Life

67%

87%

Education

71%

96%

Healthcare

47%51%

Family Life

Climate Change & Natural Resources

Q.3 Climate change is mostly due to human activity...

5%8%

19%

36%32%

1% 1%6%

33%

59%


Public Science CommunityPublic – 1,001

Scientists - 239

Q.3 The earth is getting warmer due as a result of climate change…

3% 5%

23%

38%

31%

0% 1%

7%

28%

64%



Scientists - 239

Q.3 There is broad agreement within the science community about the causes of climate change…

3%

10%

31%36%

20%

1%5% 5%

36%

53%



Scientists - 239

Q.3 The growing world population will put a strain on natural resources…

3% 5%

16%

39% 37%

1% 3% 4%

23%

69%



Scientists - 239

Q.3 The planet’s resources will sufficiently be able to deal with a growing population…

14%

34%

28%

19%

5%

26%

39%

18%14%

3%



Scientists - 239

Q.3 Wind turbine farms are an acceptable form of energy…

4% 4%

20%

40%

32%

0%3%

6%

36%

55%



Scientists - 239

Medicine & Food

Q.4 It is safe to eat genetically modified foods…

19%24%

35%

17%

5%4%

10%

24%

34%

28%



Scientists - 239

Q.4 It is safe to eat foods with pesticides…

23%

31%28%

15%

3%

12%

22%

32%28%

6%



Scientists - 239

Q.4 Vaccinations are an acceptable form of preventative medical treatment…

5% 7%

24%

40%

24%

0% 1%4%

18%

77%



Scientists - 239

Q.4 I would support the bioengineering of artificial organs for use in transplants…

6% 7%

31%

38%

18%

1% 1%

8%

30%

60%



Scientists - 239

Evolution & The Big Bang

Q.5 The universe was created by a big explosion almost 14 billion years ago…

8% 9%

39%

26%

18%

1% 2%

9%

33%

55%



Scientists - 239

Q.5 How the universe was created can be sufficiently explained by science…

6%

15%

33% 33%

13%

5%10%

17%

41%

27%



Scientists - 239

Q.5 There is agreement amongst scientists that the universe was created by a big explosion…

5%10%

38%33%

14%

1%5%

14%

44%

36%



Scientists - 239

Q.5 Humans evolved over time guided by a supreme being…

18%15%

38%

21%

8%

56%

17% 15%

8%4%



Scientists - 239

Q.5 Life on earth, including humans, evolved through a process of natural selection…

5% 7%

31%35%

22%

1% 1%6%

26%

66%



Scientists - 239

Q.5 Humans have existed in present form since the beginning…

21%26%

31%

15%

7%

77%

16%

4% 2% 1%



Scientists - 239

The Role of Science

Q.6 It is important for scientific findings to inform government policy...

3% 4%

25%

45%

23%

0% 0%3%

18%

79%



Scientists - 239

Q.6 Scientific findings regularly inform government policy…

3%

12%

46%

33%

6%4%

28%

38%

25%

5%



Scientists - 239

Q.7 The general public does not know much about science...

3%

9%

26%

50%

12%

0%

20%

26%

47%

7%



Scientists - 239

Q.7 The general public finds it hard to distinguish which scientific findings are well-founded…

2%6%

21%

53%

18%

0%4% 3%

56%

37%



Scientists - 239

Q.7 There is not enough science education in schools…

2%

9%

27%

42%

20%

0%

6%

20%

37% 37%



Scientists - 239

Q.7 The general public expects science to find solutions to problems too quickly…

2%7%

27%

47%

17%

0%

7%

19%

49%

25%



Scientists - 239

Q.8 I am interested in science news…

3%

9%

28%

43%

17%

0% 1% 3%

41%

55%



Scientists - 239

Q.8 There is a lack of public interest in science news…

2%

8%

34%

48%

10%

1%

25%

33% 32%

9%



Scientists - 239

Q.8 The Irish media lacks coverage of science news…

1%

9%

32%

44%

14%

0%

17%

33%37%

13%



Scientists - 239

Q.8 Scientists in Ireland are communicating science news sufficiently…

3%

23%

49%

21%

4%4%

36%

43%

17%

0%



Scientists - 239

Q.8 The news media over-simplifies science news…

2%

12%

49%

29%

8%

0%

15%19%

43%

23%



Scientists - 239

Awareness of Scientists & Scientific Achievements

Q.9 Please name any Irish scientists, past or present, that you are aware of?

69% of the public do not know of any Irish scientists,

past of present.

2%

2%

2%

2%

4%

13%

W.R.Hamilton

George Boole

Einstein

Francis Beaufort

Ernest Walton

Robert Boyle

Public – Top Mentions

10%

10%

11%

15%

18%

21%

24%

34%

48%

Luke O' Neill

George Stokes

University scientists or colleagues

Jocelyn Bell Burnell

George Boole

John Tyndall

W.R. Hamilton

Ernest Walton

Robert Boyle

Science Community – Top Mentions

All other mentions 5%

or less


or less

Q.10 Please name any Irish scientific achievements, past or present, that you are aware of?

1%

2%

2%

2%

3%

5%

Hypodermic Needle

Ernest Walton helped split the atom

Beaufort scale

First submarine

Birr Telescope

Boyle's Law


72% of the public do not know of any Irish scientific

achievements, past of present.

7%

8%

8%

10%

14%

15%

21%

27%

Beaufort scale

Tyndall effect

Pulsars

Hamilton's equations or mechanics

Contribution to medicine (generic)

Boolean Logic

Ernest Walton helped split the atom

Boyle's Law



or less

All other mentions

less than 1%

Q.11 In your opinion, what do you believe to be the single greatest scientific achievement ever made?

3%

5%

5%

9%

10%

12%

The Wheel

Space Exploration

Communication technology(internet/phone)

Medical advances/ vaccinations

Electricity

Penicillin/ antibiotics


6%

6%

7%

7%

8%

9%

10%

15%

Atom theory

Newton's Laws

Electricity

Theory of relativity

DNA

Natural evolution

Medical advances/ vaccinations

Penicillin/ antibiotics


35% of the public could not name what they believed to be the

single greatest scientific achievement ever made


or less


or less

Comparing Ireland Internationally

Ireland performs well internationally in…

38%

64%

Scientific Achievements

44%41%

Medical Treatment

38%

53%

Economic Development

51%

81%

Artistic Achievements

27%

36%

STEM Education

58%53%

Sporting Achievements

Public – 1,001

Scientists - 239

Q.12 Ireland performs well internationally versus other industrialised nations in the following areas:

Scientific achievements

4%

11%

47%

33%

5%1%

11%

24%

56%

8%



Scientists - 239


Medical treatment

6%

16%

34%37%

7%4%

20%

35% 36%

5%



Scientists - 239


Economic development

4%

17%

41%

33%

5%4%

15%

28%

49%

4%



Scientists - 239


STEM education

4%

14%

55%

23%

4%2%

21%

41%

31%

5%



Scientists - 239


Sporting achievements

3%

9%

30%

44%

14%

3%

10%

34%

43%

10%



Scientists - 239


Artistic achievements

3%

9%

37% 39%

12%

1%5%

13%

51%

30%



Scientists - 239

Appendix – Detailed Analysis of Question 2

Q.2 Science has had a positive impact on the following areas of everyday life: Healthcare

5% 5%

19%

35% 36%

0% 0%4%

14%

82%



Scientists - 239

Q.2 Science has had a positive impact on the following areas of everyday life: Food

3%8%

24%

44%

21%

1% 3%

11%

39%

46%



Scientists - 239

Q.2 Science has had a positive impact on the following areas of everyday life: The Environment

4%

10%

25%

41%

20%

1%5%

15%

35%

44%



Scientists - 239

3%

9%

32%

39%

17%

1%

10%

24%

39%

26%



Scientists - 239

Q.2 Science has had a positive impact on the following areas of everyday life: Transport

Q.2 Science has had a positive impact on the following areas of everyday life: Quality of Life

3%7%

28%

42%

20%

0% 2%

15%

42% 41%



Scientists - 239

Q.2 Science has had a positive impact on the following areas of everyday life: Family Life

4%

12%

37%34%

13%

3%6%

40%36%

15%



Scientists - 239

Q.2 Science has had a positive impact on the following areas of everyday life: Education

2%6%

25%

44%

23%

0%3%

10%

39%

48%



Scientists - 239

e. [email protected]

t. 01 410 5200

w. www.amarach.com

b. www.amarach.com/blog

Tw. twitter.com/AmarachResearch

s. slideshare.net/amarach/