Public attitudes affect science and technology 

 in many ways. Public opinion sets the general 

 environment and climate for scientific research 

 and technological development. It is influential 

 in determining the broad directions of research 

 and innovation, and through the political 

 process, the allocation of resources for these 

 activities. In addition, public attitudes tov^'ard 

 scientists and engineers and their efforts affect 

 the career choices of the young by influencing 

 their decision to enter these fields. 



The survey of public attitudes toward science 

 and technology summarized in Science Indicators — 

 1972 was repeated for this report.' The 1974 

 replication of the earlier survey serves both as a 

 check on the findings of the previous survey and 

 as the beginning of a time series of data for 

 tracking trends in attitudes and opinions. 



A personal interview survey was conducted in 

 July and August 1974 among 2,074 persons 18 

 years of age and older. The sampling techniques 

 used in the survey permit the results to be pro- 

 jected to the entire U.S. population. 



The survey was designed to explore three 

 aspects of public attitudes and opinions: the 

 public's regard for science and technology; the 

 public's sense of the impact of those activities; 

 and the public's expectations and desires regard- 

 ing the role of science and technology in dealing 

 with national problems. Results are reported 

 first for the total sample of respondents, and 

 then for demographic groups. 



TOTAL GROUP RESPONSES 



Public regard for 

 science and technology 



Three aspects of attitudes were explored 

 under this heading: how the public feels science 

 and technology have affected the quality of life; 

 the general emotional reaction associated with 

 science and technology; and where scientists and 

 engineers rank in prestige among nine 

 professions and occupations. 



In 1974, 75 percent of the public felt that 

 science and technology have changed life for the 

 better, compared with 70 percent in 1972. This 

 gain is concurrent with a decline in the "worse" 

 and the "no opinion" responses. 



Do You Feel That Science and Technology Have 

 Changed Life for the Better or for the Worse? 



Response 



Better 



Worse 



Both 



No effect 



No opinion 



The reaction of "satisfaction or hope" to 

 science and technology was expressed by 56 

 percent of the people in 1974, versus 49 percent 

 in 1972. In both years, a reaction of "excitement 

 or wonder" was shared by 22 to 23 percent of the 

 public. Fewer respondents expressed "No opin- 

 ion" in 1974 than in 1972. 



Which One of These Items Best Describes Your 

 General Reaction to Science and Technology? 



Response 



Satisfaction or hope . . 

 Excitement or wonder 



Fear or alarm 



Indifference or lack 



of interest 



No opinion 



For a further indication of the regard for 

 science and technology, people were asked to 

 rate each of nine professions and occupations in 

 terms of the "prestige or general standing that 

 each job has." The rating categories used were 

 "excellent," "good," "average," "below average," 

 and "poor." These categories were assigned 

 weights, and the resulting rankings are shown 

 below, not only for the 1972 and 1974 surveys 

 butalso for comparable studies in 1947and 1963. 



1 Both surveys were conducted by the Opinion Research 

 Corporation, Princeton, N.J. For more complete information 

 concerning the survey results and methodology, including a 

 description of the reliability of the results and the differences 

 required for statistical significance, see: Alliliuies of the U.S. 

 Public Toward Science and Technology, Study U, Opinion Research 

 Corporation, 1974 (A study commissioned specifically for 

 this report). 



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