Public attitudes to science in South Africa
In a global environment characterised by the growing role of science and technology in our economic, social, and political lives, an international research agenda has arisen to measure and understand how science and technology are perceived and evaluated by the public. In 2010, the South African Soc...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Academy of Science of South Africa
2013-01-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/3764 |
| _version_ | 1818692107758469120 |
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| author | Vijay Reddy Michael Gastrow Andrea Juan Benjamin Roberts |
| author_facet | Vijay Reddy Michael Gastrow Andrea Juan Benjamin Roberts |
| author_sort | Vijay Reddy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In a global environment characterised by the growing role of science and technology in our economic, social, and political lives, an international research agenda has arisen to measure and understand how science and technology are perceived and evaluated by the public. In 2010, the South African Social Attitudes Survey included 20 items to measure public attitudes towards science, knowledge about science, and sources of information about science. This household survey was administered to a representative, stratified, random sample of 3183 participants. The findings were analysed through a bivariate analysis, and here we report on South African attitudes towards science and technology, how these have changed between 1999 and 2010, and where South African science attitudes fit on the canvas of global science attitudes. The data reveal a complex and shifting relationship between attitudes of promise and reservation towards science in South Africa. In the international context, South Africa has a unique ‘fingerprint’ of public attitudes towards science. The strongest demographic variable impacting on attitude towards science was educational attainment, followed by age. Gender had no impact on science attitude. This broad overview also highlights some directions for further research to meet the growing academic and policy interest in the interface between the institutions of science and the public. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T12:52:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a5775857ddf14b1bac4e165a76f48cd9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-7489 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T12:52:32Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Academy of Science of South Africa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-a5775857ddf14b1bac4e165a76f48cd92022-12-21T21:47:34ZengAcademy of Science of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Science1996-74892013-01-011091/21810.1590/sajs.2013/12003764Public attitudes to science in South AfricaVijay Reddy0Michael Gastrow1Andrea Juan2Benjamin Roberts3Education & Skills Development, Human Sciences Research Council, Durban, South AfricaEducation & Skills Development, Human Sciences Research Council, Durban, South AfricaEducation & Skills Development, Human Sciences Research Council, Durban, South AfricaDemocracy, Governance and Service Delivery, Human Sciences Research Council, Durban, South AfricaIn a global environment characterised by the growing role of science and technology in our economic, social, and political lives, an international research agenda has arisen to measure and understand how science and technology are perceived and evaluated by the public. In 2010, the South African Social Attitudes Survey included 20 items to measure public attitudes towards science, knowledge about science, and sources of information about science. This household survey was administered to a representative, stratified, random sample of 3183 participants. The findings were analysed through a bivariate analysis, and here we report on South African attitudes towards science and technology, how these have changed between 1999 and 2010, and where South African science attitudes fit on the canvas of global science attitudes. The data reveal a complex and shifting relationship between attitudes of promise and reservation towards science in South Africa. In the international context, South Africa has a unique ‘fingerprint’ of public attitudes towards science. The strongest demographic variable impacting on attitude towards science was educational attainment, followed by age. Gender had no impact on science attitude. This broad overview also highlights some directions for further research to meet the growing academic and policy interest in the interface between the institutions of science and the public.https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/3764public relationship with scienceSouth Africascience governanceattitudes towards sciencesocial attitudes survey |
| spellingShingle | Vijay Reddy Michael Gastrow Andrea Juan Benjamin Roberts Public attitudes to science in South Africa South African Journal of Science public relationship with science South Africa science governance attitudes towards science social attitudes survey |
| title | Public attitudes to science in South Africa |
| title_full | Public attitudes to science in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Public attitudes to science in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Public attitudes to science in South Africa |
| title_short | Public attitudes to science in South Africa |
| title_sort | public attitudes to science in south africa |
| topic | public relationship with science South Africa science governance attitudes towards science social attitudes survey |
| url | https://www.sajs.co.za/article/view/3764 |
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