Trust in scientists has slightly improved this year, according to a recent survey, but it still lags behind pre-pandemic levels. The Pew Research Center survey conducted in late October and published on Nov. 14 reveals that while 76 percent of Americans have confidence in scientists acting in the public’s best interests, this is lower than the 87 percent recorded before the pandemic hit in April 2020.
There has been a decline in trust following the pandemic, with increased public skepticism about scientists’ involvement in policymaking. The survey shows a split opinion on this issue, with 51 percent of Americans believing scientists should participate in public policy debates, while 48 percent think they should stick to establishing scientific facts and avoid getting involved in policymaking.
Before the pandemic, there was more support for scientists’ involvement in policymaking, with 60 percent of Americans in favor of scientists taking an active role in public policy matters. However, the current level of trust and support for scientists’ involvement remains below pre-pandemic levels.
Various factors contribute to the decline in trust, including public frustration with inconsistent health messaging during the pandemic, concerns about scientists’ biases and sources of funding, political polarization, an overwhelming amount of information, and sensationalism in the media.
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in March 2022 suggests that scientists should prioritize transparency by disclosing their funding sources and being open to changing their conclusions based on new evidence to rebuild public trust.
While scientists still enjoy higher confidence levels compared to journalists, elected officials, and business leaders, their influence in public policy remains a topic of debate. Public opinion on the quality of scientists’ policy decisions is mixed, with fewer than half of Americans believing scientists make better policy decisions on scientific issues than others and only half thinking scientists base their judgments solely on facts.
