As dedicated data curators, we’re excited to showcase curated data collections that will hopefully ignite your research interests. Today we present you:
Thematic Data Collection on Science and Technology
Science is a crucial resource for social and economic development. At the same time, scientific research became the center of heated debates among citizens as it touched on major moral, health, and privacy issues such as artificial insemination, genetically modified foods, and vaccinations. Nevertheless, there are many ways in which various groups of citizens differ in their support and understanding of scientific innovation based on their personal, political, or religious characteristics. This, in turn, affects the decisions made by policymakers, such as those regarding research funding, and it also relates to other outcomes, such as the legal environment for research.
GESIS has curated a thematic data collection on science and technology, which brings together a diverse range of survey data on public opinion towards science and technology among populations of Germany and Europe. A particular highlight is the Science Barometer conducted on behalf of Science in Dialogue. The trend survey queried German citizens annually about their opinions on current scientific topics, technology, and science policy since 2014. The questionnaires include regular items and new topics, such as evaluating the use of artificial intelligence in the form of programs such as ChatGPT.
Additionally, the Eurobarometer, a public opinion survey commissioned by the European Commission, surveyed samples from member states of the European Union and candidate countries regularly regarding their knowledge of and opinions on science and technology. The data covers various topics, including biotechnology, genetic engineering, and artificial intelligence.