A majority of Americans say they have confidence in scientists to act in the public’s best interests. Confidence ratings have moved slightly higher in the last year, marking a shift away from the decline in trust seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. A new Pew Research Center survey of 9,593 U.S. adults conducted Oct. 21-27, 2024, takes a close look at the public image of scientists, who serve as one potential source of information for Americans navigating complex policy debates and everyday decisions around things like their personal health and wellness. 76% of Americans express a great deal or fair amount of confidence in scientists to act in the public’s best interests. This is up slightly from 73% in October 2023 and represents a halt to the decline seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Scientists continue to enjoy strong relative standing compared with the ratings Americans give to many other prominent groups, including elected officials, journalists and business leaders. Majorities view research scientists as intelligent (89%) and focused on solving real-world problems (65%). In addition, about two-thirds (65%) view research scientists as honest and 71% view them as skilled at working in teams. Communication is seen as an area of relative weakness for scientists. Overall, 45% of U.S. adults describe research scientists as good communicators. A slightly larger share (52%) say this phrase does not describe research scientists well. Another critique many Americans hold is the sense that research scientists feel superior to others; 47% say this phrase describes them well.
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Table of Contents
- Alec Tyson and Brian Kennedy 1
- About Pew Research Center 2
- How we did this 3
- Confidence in scientists up slightly but remains lower than before pandemic 4
- 76 of Americans express a great deal or fair amount of confidence in scientists to act in the publics best interests. 5
- Majorities view research scientists as intelligent 89 and focused on solving real-world problems 65. 5
- Communication is seen as an area of relative weakness for scientists. 5
- Most Americans see research scientists as intelligent while fewer say theyre good communicators 5
- Americans are split over scientists role in policymaking. 6
- Democrats continue to express more confidence than Republicans in scientists but ratings within the GOP have edged higher in the last year. 6
- Do Americans want scientists to be involved in making policy 6
- Trust in scientists compared with trust in other groups 7
- Confidence in scientists remains higher among Democrats than Republicans 8
- Differences in confidence by party 9
- Differences in confidence by race and ethnicity 10
- Confidence in scientists to act in publics best interests by race and ethnicity 10
- Differences in confidence by education 11
- Scientists widely seen as intelligent fewer than half view them as good communicators 12
- Views of scientists traits by party 13
- Republicans and Democrats differ in views of research scientists traits including honesty 13
- Americans are divided over the role for scientists in scientific policy debates 14
- Should public opinion play a role in science policy 15
- Americans are split over whether public opinion should shape policies on scientific issues 15
- Views on the quality of scientists policy judgments 16
- Mixed views of scientists judgment and the quality of their scientific policy decisions 16
- Acknowledgments 17
- Primary research team 17
- Director Science and Society Research Associate Director Science and Society Research Senior Researcher Research Associate Research Assistant 17
- Research Assistant 17
- Editorial and graphic design 17
- Editorial Assistant Associate Information Graphics Designer 17
- Communications and web publishing 17
- Communications Manager Communications Associate Digital Producer 17
- Methodology 18
- Overview 18
- Panel recruitment 18
- Sample design 18
- Questionnaire development and testing 19
- Incentives 19
- Data collection protocol 19
- Invitation and reminder dates for web respondents ATP Wave 158 20
- Data quality checks 20
- Weighting 20
- American Trends Panel weighting dimensions 21
- Sample sizes and margins of error ATP Wave 158 22
- Dispositions and response rates 23
- Final dispositions ATP Wave 158 23
- Cumulative response rate ATP Wave 158 23
- A note about the Asian adult sample 24
- Appendix Detailed charts and tables 25
- Republicans and Democrats confidence in medical scientists to act in the publics best interests 25
- Public confidence in prominent groups to act in the publics best interest 26
- Confidence in scientists by education and party affiliation 27
- Support for scientists playing an active role in public policy debates is lower now than in 2020 28
