Perceptions of Scientists and Scientific Beliefs - United States National Representative Survey 2023

The credibility of sources, including environmental health (EH) specialists such as scientists, researchers, or educators, plays a crucial role in shaping public opinions. A key component of source credibility is goodwill, which reflects the perception that a source is unbiased or driven by a commitment to the public good. Audiences skeptical of a source's credibility are more inclined to dismiss their messages and disregard their recommendations. Therefore, effective communication of science-based findings by EH specialists is essential for these findings to be actionable and contribute to promoting healthy lives. In partnership with the Texas A&M Center for Environmental Health Research (TiCER), the study aims to explore the factors influencing goodwill and source credibility and examine how signaling goodwill impacts the source credibility of environmental health specialists.