National Science Foundation Surveys of Public Attitudes Toward and Understanding of Science and Technology, 1979-2001: [United States]

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Surveys of Public
Attitudes monitored the general public's attitudes toward and interest
in science and technology. In addition, the survey assessed levels of
literacy and understanding of scientific and environmental concepts
and constructs, how scientific knowledge and information were
acquired, attentiveness to public policy issues, and computer access
and usage. Since 1979, the survey was administered at regular
intervals (occurring every two or three years), producing 11
cross-sectional surveys through 2001. Data for Part 1 (Survey of
Public Attitudes Multiple Wave Data) were comprised of the survey
questionnaire items asked most often throughout the 22-year survey
series and account for approximately 70 percent of the original
questions asked. Data for Part 2, General Social Survey Subsample
Data, combine the 1983-1999 Survey of Public Attitudes data with a
subsample from the 2002 General Social Survey (GSS) (GENERAL SOCIAL
SURVEYS, 1972-2002: [CUMULATIVE FILE] [ICPSR 3728]) and focus solely
on levels of education and computer access and usage. Variables for
Part 1 include the respondents' interest in new scientific or medical
discoveries and inventions, space exploration, military and defense
policies, whether they voted in a recent election, if they had ever
contacted an elected or public official about topics regarding
science, energy, defense, civil rights, foreign policy, or general
economics, and how they felt about government spending on scientific
research. Respondents were asked how they received information
concerning science or news (e.g., via newspapers, magazines, or
television), what types of television programming they watched, and
what kind of magazines they read. Respondents were asked a series of
questions to assess their understanding of scientific concepts like
DNA, probability, and experimental methods. Respondents were also
asked if they agreed with statements concerning science and technology
and how they affect everyday living. Respondents were further asked a
series of true and false questions regarding science-based statements
(e.g., the center of the Earth is hot, all radioactivity is manmade,
electrons are smaller than atoms, the Earth moves around the sun,
humans and dinosaurs co-existed, and human beings developed from
earlier species of animals). Variables for Part 2 include highest
level of math attained in high school, whether the respondent had a
postsecondary degree, field of highest degree, number of
science-based college courses taken, major in college, household
ownership of a computer, access to the World Wide Web, number of hours
spent on a computer at home or at work, and topics searched for via
the Internet. Demographic variables for Parts 1 and 2 include gender,
race, age, marital status, number of people in household, level of
education, and occupation.