| Table 7-13 |
| Public perceptions of various groups' understanding of public issues: 2010 or most recent year |
| (Percent and mean score) |
| |
| |
Degree of understanding
(on scale of 1 to 5) |
|
|
|
| Public issue/group |
Very well
5 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
Not at all
1 |
|
Don't
know |
Mean
score |
| |
| Nuclear power: understand the likely effects of using nuclear
power to generate electricity |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Nuclear engineers |
58 |
18 |
11 |
4 |
3 |
|
5 |
4.3 |
| Elected officials |
5 |
11 |
32 |
33 |
15 |
|
5 |
2.6 |
| Business leaders |
5 |
11 |
32 |
30 |
17 |
|
5 |
2.5 |
| Stem cell research: understand stem cell research |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Medical researchers |
49 |
26 |
14 |
3 |
2 |
|
5 |
4.2 |
| Elected officials |
4 |
7 |
34 |
28 |
24 |
|
5 |
2.4 |
| Religious leaders |
5 |
6 |
27 |
28 |
29 |
|
5 |
2.3 |
| Global warming: understand the causes of global warming |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Environmental scientists |
40 |
20 |
21 |
10 |
6 |
|
4 |
3.8 |
| Elected officials |
5 |
10 |
28 |
26 |
26 |
|
4 |
2.4 |
| Business leaders |
4 |
9 |
29 |
28 |
26 |
|
4 |
2.3 |
| Genetically modified foods: understand the risks posed by
genetically modified foods |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Medical researchers |
32 |
32 |
18 |
8 |
5 |
|
6 |
3.8 |
| Elected officials |
3 |
6 |
24 |
33 |
29 |
|
5 |
2.2 |
| Business leaders |
4 |
7 |
24 |
31 |
28 |
|
6 |
2.2 |
| Federal income taxes: understand the likely effects of reducing
federal income taxes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Economists |
27 |
21 |
31 |
8 |
6 |
|
7 |
3.6 |
| Elected officials |
10 |
18 |
32 |
18 |
17 |
|
6 |
2.8 |
| Business leaders |
16 |
24 |
31 |
14 |
9 |
|
7 |
3.3 |
| |
NOTES: Responses to How well do the following groups understand: causes of global warming; stem cell research; likely effects of reducing federal income taxes; likely effects of using nuclear power to generate electricity; risks posed by genetically modified foods? Responses on global warming, stem cell research, federal income taxes, and nuclear power are for 2010. Responses on genetically modified foods are for 2006. Mean understanding score based on 5-point scale, where 5 = understands very well and 1 = understands not at all. Detail may not add to total because of rounding.
SOURCE: University of Chicago, National Opinion Research Center, General Social Survey (2006, 2010). See appendix table 7-29.
Science and Engineering Indicators 2012 |
|