What's Happened with American Adult Understanding of Science Knowledge and Process: 1979-2014

Florida State University, Tallahassee FL

Investigators

Abstract

What's Happened with American Adult Understanding of Science Knowledge and Process? 1979-2016 What do we know about American's public understanding of science and technology over time? In industrial and post-industrial democracies, citizens often participate in science and technology (S&T) decision-making and implementation. Civic science and technology literacy, or public understanding, among the adult general public is tacitly understood to help create a climate that facilitates intelligent policy discussions, supports the "science enterprise," and enhances quality of life. Overall, the general public may resist some developments, e.g., genetically modified foods, while adopting others, e.g., the Internet. In addition, many stakeholders--parents, educators, legislators, and employers--are concerned that the United States is "falling behind" in science education or failing to develop sufficient numbers of S&T professionals. Given engagement in and reaction to science and technology, it is imperative to periodically gauge S&T knowledge among the general public, as well as their understanding of how science is conducted. Examining S&T knowledge and attitudes among adults can help educators plan more effective coursework; it also may help encourage greater diversity in science and technology fields. For example, comparing engineer and scientist stereotypes may provide insight into young adult choices of more applied versus more theoretical research careers. Examining how general public adults perceive concordance among scientists (e.g., about global warming) may suggest how to communicate what is--or is not--controversial in science, helping citizens to evaluate more accurately information from diverse experts. The project addresses several of these concerns, by examining how gender, ethnicity, and dimensions of education, relate to civic science and technology literacy over time and by generation. The project analyzes data from The National Science Foundation Surveys of Public Understanding of Science and Technology (The NSF Surveys), 1979 -2016. The NSF Surveys examine repeated cross-sectional probability surveys of American adults. Initially (1981-2001) most were random digit dial telephone interviews. More recently (2006-2016) the General Social Survey (GSS) has conducted in-person interviews. Questions address science knowledge and attitudes, understanding science inquiry, information technology access, stereotypes about scientists and engineers, perceptions of scientists' activities, and extensive demographic information, especially about education. Several analyses center on how basic S&T knowledge links to science inquiry understanding, and how both relate to background variables, and changes over time and by generation. For example, some current analyses of older adults' use of information technology confound age, time period, and generation, and thus may contribute to covert age discrimination among employers who want "tech-savvy" workers. Such analyses require updating a data archive spanning 1979-2006, amalgamating it with newer GSS surveys from 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016. A second database incorporates in-depth items on adult understanding of science processes, making possible comparisons with responses from youth on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Statistical analyses on this project include regression, analysis of variance, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, structural equation models, Multiple Classification Analysis, and loglinear models, including mediators and moderators. Results are disseminated through professional channels and also in reports more accessible to general audiences.