Australia Ranks Among the World’s Most Trusting Nations in Science

A vast number of individuals globally place their trust in scientists and believe they should play a proactive role in shaping governmental policies, as indicated by a significant new international research conducted by scholars at The Australian National University (ANU) and La Trobe University.

In a survey involving over 71,000 participants across 68 nations, Australia was found to tie for the fifth highest level of trust in scientists among all surveyed countries.

Egypt took the top spot, and none of the 68 countries reported a lack of trust in scientists. Respondents were asked to evaluate their opinions on the role of scientists in society on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).

Dr. Zoe Leviston from ANU, co-author of the study, mentioned that approximately two-thirds of Australians feel scientists ought to actively advocate for specific policies, and over 60 percent believe scientists should have increased involvement in the policymaking process.

“Trust from the public towards scientists is crucial. It can aid personal decision-making on aspects like health and enable evidence-based policymaking to support governments in crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic or climate change,” Dr. Leviston stated.

“Sixty-eight percent of Australians concur or strongly concur that scientists ought to convey their discoveries to politicians, while 80 percent feel that scientists have the obligation to communicate scientific knowledge to the public.

“Globally, 78 percent of those surveyed regard scientists as competent, while 57 percent see them as trustworthy.”

The research also examined the association between individuals’ political orientations and their trust in scientists.

Dr. Mathew Marques, co-author from La Trobe University, noted that in Western nations, individuals with right-wing political views exhibit lower trust in scientists compared to those with left-wing views. Notably, Australia deviated from this pattern.

“Unlike in North America and numerous Western European nations, in Australia, the distinction between right-wing and left-leaning political perspectives appeared to be inconsequential,” Dr. Marques remarked.

“This may indicate that political polarization surrounding scientific issues is not as prominent in Australia compared to some specific areas like climate change.”

Survey participants were also asked to prioritize areas of research that they believe scientists should focus on, ranked from most to least significant.

“A majority of individuals globally assert that scientists should dedicate more effort towards enhancing public health outcomes, advancing clean energy solutions, and finding creative ways to alleviate poverty,” Dr. Leviston added.

The study indicated that most countries worldwide, apart from certain African and Asian nations, believe scientists are placing excessive emphasis on developing defense and military technologies.

The researchers gauged public trust in scientists by evaluating perceptions of scientists’ competence, kindness, integrity, and transparency.

Data for the study was gathered between November 2022 and August 2023. A global team of 241 researchers contributed to this investigation.

The results are documented in Nature Human Behaviour.