This research, commissioned by the Welsh Government Office for Science, surveyed a sample of the Welsh population in November 2021, to better understand the public’s perceptions and attitudes regarding the purpose and value of science.
This is the latest release in the series: Public attitudes to science in Wales
Overall, respondent attitudes to science and technology were positive.
Statements with the highest levels of agreement related to the importance of science in addressing key societal issues related to future prosperity and health and well-being. Most respondents also agreed that young people’s interest in science and having a good scientific education was important.
Almost four in ten participants, however, agreed that they did not feel well-informed about science.
Science was considered important to provide innovative new technologies, and improve human health and the environment by the majority of respondents.
Interest in receiving more public scientific information on a range of different topics was high. The highest levels of interest related to renewable energy and cancer.
The most used sources for information about science and research were general news websites and, TV and radio.
Findings indicate that COVID-19 has had a positive impact on public opinions of science.
Where similar questions were used, comparisons were made between the responses from the March 2020 sample and the November 2021 sample.
Reports
Public attitudes to science in Wales: November 2021 , file type: PDF, file size: 932 KB
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