Greater trust in science, but not among everyone

According to a report by the Rathenau Institute, Dutch citizens have slightly more trust in science on average than they did three years ago. However, opinions are becoming increasingly divided.

Every three years, the Rathenau Institute surveys Dutch citizens about their trust in science, the judiciary, the media, government and other institutions. On a scale of 1 to 10, citizens gave science an average rating of 7.53 this year. This is a slight increase compared to the 7.42 rating in the previous survey in 2021.

Compared to other Dutch institutions, this level of trust is high. The judiciary scores 6.60, newspapers 5.65 and television 4.83. Government is at the bottom of the ladder with a rating of only 4.33.

Influenced

Remarkably, the number of people with very little confidence in science (a 5 or lower) has increased significantly, from 9.5% in 2021 to 14.6% now. This group is often concerned about the influence on science, particularly by companies and institutions that contribute financially.

The fact that the average has nevertheless increased is mainly due to the rise in the number of positive assessments: 34.1 percent gave science a 9 or a 10, compared to 20.6 percent in 2021.

According to the Rathenau Institute, these ratings are often related to educational level, age and political preference. They also vary by subject: research into health appears to inspire more confidence than research into inequality and discrimination.

HOP, Naomi Bergshoeff