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Posted on: 20 January 2025
The trust of the Irish public in scientists surpasses global averages, as indicated by recent research conducted by an international group that includes scholars from Trinity College Dublin.
The research, released today [Monday, January 20th] in the esteemed international journal Nature Human Behaviour, revealed that “the majority of individuals in most nations have a fairly high level of trust in scientists,” according to study lead Viktoria Cologna, “and wish for them to take an active role in society and policymaking.”
The findings indicated that the Irish populace has an average trust level of 3.84 on a scale from 1 to 5, while the global average stands at 3.62. Consequently, Ireland ranks 14 out of 68, with Egypt having the highest mean trust level of 4.3 and Albania the lowest with a trust level of 3.05.
The research also highlighted that a substantial majority of global participants viewed scientists as competent (78%), truthful (57%), and genuinely concerned for people’s welfare (56%).
The TISP Many Labs study (Trust in Science and Science-Related Populism) is the largest post-pandemic research aimed at public trust in scientists. It represents a collaborative endeavor by an international team of 241 researchers who surveyed 71,922 individuals across 68 countries, including several under-represented countries in the ‘Global South’. The sample size for the Irish segment was approximately 500 individuals.
Participants responded to inquiries on various subjects including trust in science, definitions of science and scientists, and perceived advantages of scientific inquiry.
The Irish segment of the study was spearheaded by Prof. Joseph Roche and Prof. Mairéad Hurley from the Science & Society Group at Trinity’s School of Education.
Professor Joseph Roche from the School of Education clarified:
“There are frequent assertions regarding a crisis of trust in science. The outcomes of this global survey present a different narrative. It indicates that the Irish public demonstrated some of the highest levels of trust in scientists.”
Additional analysis pertaining to the Irish insights from the global study is nearing completion and will be disseminated later this Spring. It will also be showcased at the Educational Studies Association of Ireland Conference in April 2025.
Cover image by Tomski&Polanski Illustration Studio
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