Science Barometer 2016

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 and being informed about science and research: being informed about selected news topics (sport, politics, new discoveries in science and research as well as in medicine); interest in scientific topics.

2. Information behaviour on science and research: frequency of dealing with the subject of science in selected contexts (discussions with friends and family, attending events on science and research, reading articles in the print media or receiving television programmes on scientific topics, as well as on the Internet); information sources on the Internet on science and research (e.g. social networks, blogs or online forums, etc.); visits to institutions related to science in the last twelve months (e.g. science museum, zoo or aquarium).

3. Participation and involvement of citizens in science and research: involvement in decisions on science and research personally important; sufficient involvement of the public in science and research; insufficient efforts by scientists to inform the public about their work; preferred topic for discussion with a scientist (open).

4. Evaluation of the benefits and risks of science for society: attitude towards science (people trust science too much instead of feelings and beliefs, science harms more than it benefits, new technology with unknown risks should be stopped despite expected benefits).

5. Trust in science and scientists on selected topics (climate change, creation of the universe, renewable energies and green genetic engineering).

6. Relationship between science and politics: extent to which science influences politics.

7. Public funding of science and research: preference for decisions on research funding (political, economic, scientific or citizen); investment in basic research to create jobs; evaluation of collaboration between public research institutions and business; opinion on how to manage research spending in the context of reduced government spending.

8. Science and research in the future: most important research area for the future; influence of science on the lives of future generations (improvements for life, both improvements and problems, more problems).

9. Current topic: Refugees and integration: sufficient consideration of scientific findings in reporting on refugees; influence of different groups of people in reporting on refugees (politicians, representatives of the police, representatives of companies, scientists, celebrities, refugee volunteers).

Demography: sex; age; education; occupation; household size; net household income.

Additionally coded: interview ID; interview duration (in seconds); weight; city size (BIK); federal state; region.