A desire for authoritative science? How citizens' informational needs and epistemic beliefs shaped their views of science, news, and policymaking in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public Underst Sci
; 30(5): 496-514, 2021 07.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1177696
ABSTRACT
The coronavirus pandemic created a situation in which virological and epidemiological science became highly politically relevant but was uncertain and fragmented. This raises the question as to how science could inform policymaking and public debate on societal crisis management. Based on an online survey of Germans (N = 1513) representative for age, gender, education, and place of residence, we investigate citizens' prescriptive views of the relationships between science, policymaking, and the media. Views differ depending on their informational needs and epistemic beliefs. People with a need for definite information and a view of scientific knowledge as static wanted scientists to dominate policymaking and journalists to deliver definite information about the coronavirus. People with an informational need to construct their own opinions wanted journalists to question policy and scientific advice. Furthermore, they rejected the idea of scientists dominating policymaking. Results are discussed with reference to theories of science and democracy.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Politics
/
Public Opinion
/
Science
/
Information Seeking Behavior
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Public Underst Sci
Journal subject:
Science
/
History of Medicine
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
09636625211005334
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