Re: misconception survey o fgeneral public

[Stephen Speicher <sjs@COMPBIO.CALTECH.EDU>]

On Sun, 7 Sep 2003, jwatsonvax wrote:

> Are there any web sites that give the results of the latest or any
> "misconception quiz" to the general public?  Most of my colleagues don't
> believe the high percentage who believe seasons = closeness    sun = go
> around Earth         phases = shadow     sky blue = reflection of ocean
> and thinks the little lady in 'Minds of Our own", who still believes your
> eyes will still adapt, is . "Too stupid to take physics!"

You can access, or download, the National Science Board 2002
Science and Engineering Indicators, supported by the National
Science Foundation, at:

<http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/seind02/start.htm>

which showed, amongst many other things, that half of those
questioned did not know: that the Earth takes one year to go
around the Sun; that electrons are smaller than atoms, that
antibiotics do not kill viruses; that lasers do not work by
focusing sound waves.

On the other hand, 86% in the U.S. believe that science and
technology are making our lives healthier, easier, and more
comfortable, compared to 67% and 51% in the U.K. and Japan,
respectively.  As to whether or not scientists want to make life
better for the average person, 89% in the U.S. answered
affirmatively, compared to 67% for the U.K. and only 45% for
Japan.

So, it seems that even with the high degree of ignorance in the
details of science, those in the U.S.  have a greater confidence
in the positive role which scientists, science and technology
play in their daily lives, as compared to some in the rest of the
world. In fact, when asked if the benefits of science are greater
than the harmful effects, 72% in the U.S. answered affirmatively,
as compared to only 44% in the U.K.

Yet, still, 30% believe in UFOs and that aliens have landed on
the Earth, 25% believe in astrology, and 60% in the survey
believed that some people possess psychic powers, so there is
little question that pseudoscience is still alive and well.

--
Stephen
speicher@caltech.edu

Ignorance is just a placeholder for knowledge.

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