In Which of the Areas Listed Would You Most 



Like (and Least Like) To Have Your Taxes 



Spent for Science and Technology? 



Pcrtciil iJiiw.siii.v' 



Rc^pomc likf hit' 



hiiprcH'ing health care 65 1 



Reducing and controlling pollution 60 3 



Reducing crime 5" - 



Finding new methods for preventing 



and treating drug addiction 51 4 



Improving Education 41 4 



Improving the safety of automobiles ... 38 5 

 Developing faster and safer public 



transportation for travel within 



and between cities 23 14 



Finding better birth control 



methods 20 18 



Discovering new basic knowledge about 



man and nature 1" 15 



Weather control and prediction 11 1" 



Space exploration 11 42 



Developing/improving weapons for 



national defense 11 30 



No opinicm 6 13 



I Multiple responses .jctepted 



Preferences are indicated for improving health 

 care, controlling pollution, and reducing crime, 

 whereas space exploration and development of 

 defense weapons received least support. Mixed 

 reactions were expressed for the areas of birth 



contrcil, discovering new basic knowledge, and 

 controlling and predicting weather. 



On the whole, public attitudes toward science 

 and technology appear to be positive. This is 

 especially evident in their general regard for sci- 

 ence and technology, and their confidence in its 

 capacity to ameliorate national problems. Less 

 positive opinions were expressed, however, 

 regarding the impacts cif science and tech- 

 ncilogy, and the present uses to which it is put. 

 On the whole, the public attitudes appear to re- 

 flect more confidence in the potential of science 

 and technology than satisfaction with its present 

 applications. 



ANALYSIS OF RESULTS 

 BY DEMOGRAPHIC SUBGROUPS 



The response patterns of demographic sub- 

 groups, while similar, are not homogenous. A 

 substantially greater frequency of "no opinion" 

 responses is evident for the oldest, lowest in- 

 come, least educated, and nonwhite subgroups. 

 Such differences in "no opinion" response rates, 

 while relevant, are not unique to this survey. In 

 effect, they mask differences in expressed 

 opinion toward science and technology. To avoid 

 such ambiguities, comparisons of subgroup 

 opinions are based on percentages of those ex- 

 pressing an opinion. These percentages and the 

 frequency of "no opinion" among all subgroups 

 are reported for selected questions in the follow- 

 ing tables. 



Overall, Would You Say That Science and Technology Do More Good Than Harm, 

 More Harm Than Good, or About the Same of Each? 



All 



Men 



Women 



18-29 yrs 



30-39 



40-49 



50-59 



60 + 



< High school . . . 



High school 



Some college 



< $10,000 



> $10,000 



White 



Nonwhite 



99 



