Filter by author: Emily H. Whitmore

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• Date of publication Dec 09, 2024 Category: Article

  How should scientists act? Assessing public perceptions of scientists and scientific practices and their implications for science communication

  by Thomas G. Safford , Emily H. Whitmore

  Is how science is conducted legitimate? Are scientists trustworthy? Whether the public answers “yes” to these questions is critical for science communicators. We explore how social factors affect public perceptions of the practice of science, and then test how those beliefs relate to views about how scientists engage with the public and policy making. Our results show that political ideology and religiosity affect these views. However, more importantly, respondents' concerns about the integrity of the scientific process are the strongest predictor of views about scientists' behavior, providing a focus area for future communication efforts in support of science-based decision making.

  Volume 23 • Issue 08 • 2024

• Date of publication Nov 15, 2021 Category: Article

  Follow the scientists? How beliefs about the practice of science shaped COVID-19 views

  by Thomas G. Safford , Emily H. Whitmore , Lawrence C. Hamilton

  “Follow the science” became the mantra for responding to COVID-19 pandemic. However, for the public this also meant “follow the scientists”, and this led to uneasiness as some viewed scientists as not credible. We investigate how beliefs about the way scientists develop their findings affect pandemic-related views. Our analysis shows that beliefs about scientists' objectivity predict views regrading coronavirus-related risks, behavioral changes, and policy priorities. While political party identity also predicts views about COVID-19-related concerns, these vary by political leaders whose approaches embraced versus dismissed science-based strategies, highlighting the importance of perceptions of scientists in shaping pandemic-related attitudes and beliefs.

  Volume 20 • Issue 07 • 2021