Public Attitudes 

 Toward Science and Technology 



■ Public attitudes affect science and technology 

 in myriad ways. Public opinion sets the general 

 climate — positive, neutral, or negative — for the 

 development and use of scientific knowledge and 

 technology. It influences the choice of ends to 

 which the enterprise is directed, the magnitude 

 and kinds of resources {economic, human, and 

 institutional) allocated for research and innova- 

 tion, and the selection by the young of careers in 

 science and engineering. 



To determine current public attitudes, a 

 personal interview survey was conducted in May 

 and June 1972 among 2,209 persons 18 years of 

 age and more, using sampling techniques which 

 permit the results to be projected to the total 

 adult U.S. population.' Thechancesare95 in 100 

 that the survey results do not vary by more than 

 2 percent (plus or minus) from the results that 

 would be obtained if interviews had been con- 

 ducted with all persons in this population. 



The survey focused on three general aspects 

 of the attitudes of the public: their regard for sci- 

 ence and technology, their assessment of its 

 impacts, and their expectations and desires for 

 its future role in dealing with national problems. 



The survey results are reported first for the 

 total group, and subsequently for demographic 

 subgroups. Since differences (ranging from 36 to 

 1 percent) in the frequency of "no opinion" 

 occurred among the subgroups — and were 

 particularly high for the oldest, lower income, 

 lower education, and nonwhite groups — the 

 results are reported for all those polled, as well as 

 for all those expressing an opinion. 



TOTAL GROUP RESPONSES 



Public Regard for 

 Science and Technology 



This aspect of public opinion was explored 

 from three different perspectives: the perceived 



effects of science and technology on the quality 

 of life; the affective or emotional reaction to sci- 

 ence and technology; and the standing or pres- 

 tige of scientists and engineers in relationship to 

 other occupations. 



Science and technology have changed life for 

 the "better" according to 70 percent of the 

 public. Eleven percent felt that the changes were 

 neither predominately good nor bad, while 8 per- 

 cent felt that changes were for the "worse." 



Do you Feel That Science and Technology Have 

 Changed Life for the Better or for the Worse? 



' The survey was conducted for this report by the Opinion 

 Research Corporation, Princeton, N.J. A complete report of 

 the study is available. 



To describe their emotional reaction to science 

 and technology, the respondents expressed 

 either "satisfaction or hope" (49 percent), 

 "excitement or wonder" (23 percent), "fear or 

 alarm" (6 percent), and "indifference or lack of 

 interest" (6 percent). 



Which One of These Items Best Describe Your 

 General Reaction to Science and Technology? 



Response 



Satisfaction Or hope . . 

 Excitement or vi^onder 



Fear or alarm 



Indifference or lack 



of interest 



No opinion 



A further indication of the public regard for 

 science and technology are the ratings of sci- 

 ence and engineering as professions. From a list 

 of nine professions, that of scientist was ranked 

 second only to physicians, while engineers were 



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