technology does more good than harm, and 83 

 percent felt that overall, technology is more 

 beneficial than harmful. (This is consistent 

 with Science Indicators and other results 

 discussed above.) 18 By far the main impact of 

 technology was said to be in the area of 

 improved medical care. (This also is consistent 

 with the other results discussed earlier.) 



The respondents were asked to rank-order the 

 technological and social programs they would 

 like to see implemented. The results were quite 

 similar to Science Indicators, given that the 

 items compared were not exactly the same. It 

 was found that individuals who were more 

 educated or better informed on technological 

 issues were more likely to be pro-technology. 



The survey also sought to determine whether 

 the process of decisionmaking is approved. 

 Does the public feel that the "experts" play too 

 large a role in government decisionmaking? 

 This would presumably reflect their attitudes 

 toward both scientists and technologists. On 

 most issues, such as fluoridation, installing 

 missiles, and funding for scientific research, the 

 sample surveyed would like experts to have 

 more power. Only on the issue of sending men to 

 Mars was there a wish to see experts have less 

 power. Taviss distinguishes between a pro- 

 technology group that seems to represent the 

 "mainstream culture" and an anti-technology 

 group that shows signs of being "alienated". 



EBASCO SERVICES 



In the same connection, a 1975 study should 

 be mentioned, which had to do with public 

 attitudes toward the development of nuclear 

 energy. 14 Scientists were the group that enjoyed 

 the greatest confidence with regard to what 

 they had to say on this issue. This was true for 



respondents representing the total public, 

 political leaders, business leaders, and 

 regulators. It was not true for environmen- 

 talists, who placed scientists second, after 

 "leading environmentalists." 



LA PORTE AND METLAY 



This is a very extensive study of public 

 attitudes toward technology, which was 

 published quite recently.-" Only some 

 highlights can be presented here. The study is 

 based on a survey taken of the California 

 population in 1972 and again in 1974. The 

 authors note some of the general difficulties 

 with this kind of inquiry: The data gathered are 

 based on "opinions" which may be transiently 

 held, particularly where they relate to concerns 

 not highly central to the person being question- 

 ed (a point also made by Taviss). Opinions may 

 be based on misinformation, and therefore may 

 be altered when new facts become known. 

 There are measurement problems as well. 

 However, the authors find considerable con- 

 sistency in the answers of individual 

 respondents over time, and believe that con- 

 fidence in the results is warranted. 



Like previous authors, La Porte and Metlay 

 analyze the surveyed population in 

 demographic terms. In addition, they dis- 

 tinguish what they call the "potential public for 

 technological politics", which they compare 

 with the broad public. The "potential public" is 

 the highly educated and politically active 

 portion of the population; they are thought to be 

 the ones most likely to make articulate demands 



'" As noled. there is some ambiguity in Science Indicators on 

 this question. 



19 A Survey of Public and Leadership Attitudes toward 

 Nuclear Power Development in the United States, con- 

 ducted for Ebasco Services Inc. by Louis Harris and 

 Associates. Inc. (August 1975]. p. 105. 



20 They Watch and Wonder: Public .Attitudes toward 

 Advanced Technology, by Todd La Porte and Daniel Metlay. 

 Institute of Governmental Studies. University of California. 

 Berkeley. December 1975. Final Report to Ames Research 

 Center. National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

 (NASA Grant NGR 05-003-0471 1. 



Preliminary reports of this study appeared as 

 "Technology Observed: Attitudes of a Wary Public," 

 Si ien< e. Vol. 188 (April 1 1, 1975). pp. 121-127, and "Public 

 Attitudes Toward Present and Future Technologies: 

 Satisfactions and Apprehensions". Social Studies of 

 Science, Vol. 5 (1975), pp. 373-398. 



CONFIDENCE IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



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