SCC 2014 - Day of discovery: Running your own public attitudes to science day

Version 1 | Internal use only© Ipsos MORI

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Running your own Day of DiscoveryUsing the results of the PAS 2014 survey to spark a science debate!

Kerry Seelhoff (BIS), Sarah Pope (Ipsos MORI), Ben Johnson, Graphic Science


2What this session will cover

Introduction to PAS

Day of Discovery and toolkit

Activity – My Science Journey

Using PAS 2014 for engagement

Questions & discussion(at any time!)


3Why we run Public Attitudes to Science?

• Builds a better understanding of what the public think about science and technology in the UK.

• Gauges public trust and governance of science and emerging technologies.

• Increases our understanding of how people engage with science and their views on public involvement.

• Informs BIS policy areas and the Government’s strategies for the Eight Great Technologies.

• Contributes to the evidence base for BIS Science and Society team.


4Overview of PAS 2014 research

Survey research•1,749 UK adults aged 16+ and a booster sample of 315 16-24 year-olds interviewed in-home from July to November 2013

•Move to probability sampling (quota sampling in previous years)

Survey research•1,749 UK adults aged 16+ and a booster sample of 315 16-24 year-olds interviewed in-home from July to November 2013

•Move to probability sampling (quota sampling in previous years)

Qualitative research•Research with Ipsos MORI’s online community and social listening

•Day of Discovery workshop with 100+ members of the public in London in January 2014

Qualitative research•Research with Ipsos MORI’s online community and social listening

•Day of Discovery workshop with 100+ members of the public in London in January 2014

Fifth in the series•Wide range of objectives, covering what people think about science, scientists and science policy in the UK

•Previously run in 2000, 2005, 2008 and 2011 (and data from earlier surveys)

Fifth in the series•Wide range of objectives, covering what people think about science, scientists and science policy in the UK

•Previously run in 2000, 2005, 2008 and 2011 (and data from earlier surveys)


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Base (for 2014): 1,749 UK adults aged 16+

The UK public are as enthusiastic about science as they have ever been in the last 25 years.

72

We depend too much on science and not enough on faith

It is important to know about science

in my daily life

The benefits of science are greater than any

harmful effects

Science makes our way of life change

too fast

55 34 30

57 45 49 44

% agree in 1988

% agree in 2014


6Many are still uncertain of how scientists go about their work

Base: 1,749 UK adults aged 16+

think scientific research is never or only occasionally checked by other scientists before being published

agree scientists adjust their findings to get the answers they want

35%

29%


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Bases: c.900+ adults per wave

Scientists and engineers are highly regarded …

% strongly agree that scientists make a valuable contribution to society

% strongly agree that, in general, scientists want to make life better for the average person


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Q. How much, if at all, do you trust each of the following to follow any rules and regulations which apply to their profession?

Base (for 2014): 858 UK adults aged 16+

… and more trusted than before, regardless of where they work

90

Scientists working for private companies

Scientists working for Government

Scientists working for universities

Scientists working for charities

Scientists working for environmental groups

88 79 74 60

84 77 72 5672

% trust in 2011

% trust in 2014


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Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

Base: 1,749 UK adults aged 16+

People think scientists, regulators and government need to engage with the public when making decisions

Those who regulate science need to communicate with the public

The Government should act in accordance with public concerns about

science and technology

Scientists should listen more towhat ordinary people think

% agree % disagree

3


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People want to hear more directly from scientists and those who govern them

Source: Day of Discovery workshop participant

When you watch the news or read it, there is always someone manipulating them. You should have scientists from scientific

bodies talking about it.


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Source: Day of Discovery workshop participant (quote) and social listening (tweet)

The messenger matters, with scientists seen as authority figures

“Because politicians are playing the short-term game, it can have an effect on what they say about science.”

“Smart remarks and selective use of evidence won’t feed 9bn by 2050. GM is one tool to try.” @EU_ScienceChiefTweet seen by largest audience on Twitter after online GM debate in summer 2013


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Q. From which one or two of these, if any, do you hear or read about new scientific research findings most often?

Bases: 1,749 UK adults aged 16+; 510 16-24 year-olds

In a digital age, traditional media still matters, even online

59% TV 14% radio15% online newspapers/

news websites

6% social networks

23% print newspapers

19% among 16-24 year-olds19% among 16-24 year-olds

Of whom, 69% mention BBC NewsOf whom, 69% mention BBC News


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% agree that “it is important to know about science in my daily life”

Bases: c.150+ adults per generation per wave

Some of the change over time comes from generational differences

Pre-war generation(born before 1945)

Baby boomers(born 1945-1965)

Generation X(born 1966-1979)

Generation Y(born since 1980)


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Bases: 821 men; 928 women

Finally, there are also gender differences

% among women % among men

% feel informed about science

34

56

% say they don’t really know what

scientists do

2415

% are/want to be more involved in decision-making

about science issues

25

38

% agree school put them off science

3017


15Why a Day of Discovery? What the survey told us (and what it didn’t)

The public continue to see science as important, are interested in finding out more

People are positive about the contribution science makes to the UK economy

Scientists and engineers are highly respected, but people do not know much about how scientists work

The public lack awareness of how scientific research is funded

Traditional media is still important, but there is low trust in science journalism

Public involvement is important to the public

• What’s driving this, and (how) does it differ for different types of science?

• What do they see as that contribution? How do they know?

• Do people want to know more? How would knowing more change how scientists are viewed?

• How does this effect people’s views on science and scientists?

• How can that trust be improved?

• What should that public involvement look like for different types of people?

An opportunity to gain public feedback on the results, and to dig deeper into some of the questions that the survey raises


16Using the survey results to kickstart a conversation!

What is the best way to communicate with the public about science? How does that differ for different types of people?

What makes people informed about certain topics, and how can that be harnessed to make them interested in topics they are currently uninformed about?

How can we help people better understand scientists and how they work?

How can we facilitate greater trust in science and scientists among the less trusting?

What would drive greater public support for investment in science and technology?

The toolkit: using the PAS 2014 results to start conversations about science and science engagement with members of the public, and challenge them to

come up with new and better ways of public engagement.

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4 scientists

109 Participants

15 facilitators

Hundreds of views about science and

science engagement!

PAS 2014 DAY OF DISCOVERY


17The PAS 2014 Day of Discovery

Sarah Pope

To add higher res when back at my desk.


18Using the toolkit

Before the day:

Decide some objectives, and find the materials that will help you meet them

Print (customised) materials and discussion guides (and read the advice on how to use them)

Find participants – how can you make the event more attractive to them

Invite scientists and arrange and brief other organisers

Remember the practicalities!

On the day:

Materials hung up around the room

Information, post its and pens for participants

Prompting and probing

Facilitated interviews or focus groups

Activities

Participant feedback

Capturing what participants say


19Remember the segments!

Who do you want to speak to? Can the segments help you make sense of what you find?

Disengaged Sceptics were put off science at school, and today they find it overwhelming

Disengaged Sceptics were put off science at school, and today they find it overwhelming

The Concerned distinguish themselves through a more

religious or spiritual outlook on life, informing

views on science

The Concerned distinguish themselves through a more

religious or spiritual outlook on life, informing

views on science

Confident Engagers are strongly positive about the role of science in society, and already

feel sufficiently engaged

Confident Engagers are strongly positive about the role of science in society, and already

feel sufficiently engaged

Distrustful Engagers think science benefits society, but are

less trusting of scientists and less confident of regulation

Distrustful Engagers think science benefits society, but are

less trusting of scientists and less confident of regulation

Late Adopters did not enjoy science at school, but now take a strong interest,

based on environmental and ethical concerns

Late Adopters did not enjoy science at school, but now take a strong interest,

based on environmental and ethical concerns

The Indifferent do not feel informed about science, but are not especially interested

or concerned either

The Indifferent do not feel informed about science, but are not especially interested

or concerned either


20Activity – Create your science journey!


21What you’ll get out of using the toolkit – depends on your objectives!

The aim of this toolkit is to facilitate a conversation about better science engagement. We’re hoping people will share their outputs, for example:

•Photos/videos of the day (ask consent!)

•A write up of what participants said

•Communication and engagement ideas

•Tips for others running similar events

•Participants’ outputs (a word cloud of their post-its, their science journeys posters etc.)

Whatever your objectives though, you should end the event with:1) A better understanding of your participants’ experiences with and attitudes towards science

2) New ideas about how to inform and engage people about science to action or share

Send outputs to [email protected], or tweet to @ipsosmori using the hashtag #pas2014


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What will participants get out of it?

Source: Day of Discovery workshop participants


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Thank [email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

SCC 2014 - Day of discovery: Running your own public attitudes to science day

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