Public perceptions of science and technology

Abstract

In the international context, South Africa has a unique 'fingerprint' of public attitudes towards science, characterised by a complex and shifting balance between positive and negative attitudes towards different aspects of science. Reporting on the results of a module of questionnaire items on the public understanding of science and technology, included in the HSRC's 2010 South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS), Andrea Juan concludes that demographics, age and educational attainment strongly impact on attitudes towards science.