articleNature Human BehaviourJan 20, 2025HYBRID OA

Trust in scientists and their role in society across 68 countries

VCViktoria ColognaNGNiels G. MedeSBSebastian BergerJCJohn C. BesleyCBCameron Brick

Harvard University · University of Zurich · +160 more institutions

PubMed
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Abstract

Science is crucial for evidence-based decision-making. Public trust in scientists can help decision makers act on the basis of the best available evidence, especially during crises. However, in recent years the epistemic authority of science has been challenged, causing concerns about low public trust in scientists. We interrogated these concerns with a preregistered 68-country survey of 71,922 respondents and found that in most countries, most people trust scientists and agree that scientists should engage more in society and policymaking. We found variations between and within countries, which we explain with individual- and country-level variables, including political orientation. While there is no…

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210
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100%
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241

Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Politics
  • Political science
  • Affect (linguistics)
  • Biology and political orientation
  • Public trust
  • Public relations
  • Public opinion
  • Psychology
UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Peace, Justice and strong institutions
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