Science Barometer 2019

Since 2014, Wissenschaft im Dialog has been using the science barometer to collect population-representative data on the attitudes of German citizens towards science and research on an annual basis. The aim is to contribute to a fact-based discourse on the relationship between science and the public and targeted science communication by collecting, processing and communicating the results. The questionnaire of the science barometer contains corresponding questions on cognitive attitudes such as interest and information and the respondents´ information behaviour on topics from science and research. In addition, evaluative attitudes will be collected on issues such as trust, the assessment of the benefits and risks of science and the social role of research. The questions are aimed at general attitudes towards science and research. In individual cases, questions are also devoted to specific research areas or technologies or, alternately, to current developments in science and the public. The science barometers 2014 to 2016 were sponsored by the Philip Morris Foundation, the science barometers 2017 to 2019 by the Robert Bosch Foundation.

Topics: 1. Interest in science and research and being informed: Interest in politics, culture, local affairs and science and research; importance of different areas of life (friends and family, leisure time, work and profession, politics, volunteer work); expectation of self-efficacy (have my life in my own hands, if I make an effort I will succeed, life is determined by others, plans are thwarted by fate) Relevance of overall social goals (stable economy, strong social cohesion, a society where money is not the most important thing, maintaining internal security, social justice, environmental protection, implementation of measures to limit climate change); Attitudes towards globalisation, the environment and technical progress (through globalisation most people in Germany will be better off in the future, restriction of consumption is necessary to preserve the environment, more emphasis is placed on the existing and less on new technologies, the more technology develops, the more constraints affect people, modern technology makes life more comfortable, science and research will help us to solve central problems of mankind) Interest in scientific topics from various fields (medicine, engineering and new technologies, natural sciences, social sciences and humanities); self-assessment of the degree of knowledge about innovations in science and research; personal reasons for engaging in science and research.

2. Trust in science and research: trust in different social groups (science and research, politics, media, business, people in general, scientists at universities and public research institutes, scientists in industry and business); scientific literacy - presentation of scientific research (open).

3. Perception of science and research (too complicated and therefore incomprehensible, no personal relevance due to lack of relevance to everyday life, knowledge transfer at school, difficult assessment of conflicting information, controversies between scientists as a helpful contribution to correct research results); participation and involvement of citizens in science and research; interest in Citizen Science; reasons for trust in scientists (are experts, work according to rules and standards, do research in the interest of the public); reasons for distrust in scientists (often make mistakes, adapt results to their own expectations, are highly dependent on their funders).

4. Social role of research: consent to statements on the relationship between science and society (scientists work for the good of society, the public is sufficiently involved in decisions on science and research, scientists are aware of the social impact of their work, scientists should be allowed to decide for themselves what they do research on, decisions on science and research against the background of whether they contribute to solving societal problems); assessment of the benefits and risks of science for society (science and research will lead to a better life in the future, science and research change our living conditions too quickly, science and research do more harm than good, personal benefit from science and research, public funding of research even without direct benefit, people trust science too much and not enough in their feelings and beliefs); relationship between science, politics and business (influence of science on politics, politics on science and business on science); importance of research areas for the future (climate and energy, health and nutrition, mobility and transport, security issues, communication and digitisation); assessment of the role of scientists against the background of Scientists for Future (right that scientists express themselves publicly when political decisions do not take into account research results, not task of scientists to interfere in politics, rely more on common sense and less on scientific studies, political decisions should be based on scientific evidence).

5. Personal relation to science and research: job in science and research; personal acquaintance with a scientist.

Demography: sex; age; education; occupation; household size; children under 14 in the household; net household income; party preference; religiousness; migration background.

Additionally coded: Interview no.; interview duration (in seconds); weight; city size (BIK); federal state; region.