Feature

Basic Science: How Much do We Know?

Most New Zealanders believe that the greenhouse effect is caused by a hole in the earth's atmosphere. Are we a nation of scientific ignoramuses?

Philip Gendall and Deborah Russell

New Zealanders did relatively well in the most recent International Social Survey Programme, which looked in part at knowledge of and attitudes towards environmental science and issues. While there are obvious gaps in some areas of scientific understanding, the 1,882 New Zealanders surveyed had a good grasp of basic science.

Part of the questionnaire used asked respondents their opinion on the truth of a series of statements describing basic scientific facts.

Only 23% of respondents correctly described the statement "The greenhouse effect is caused by a hole in the earth's atmosphere" as false. However, most respondents (81%) did know that using coal, oil or gas contributes to the greenhouse effect. It seems clear that there is widespread confusion of the hole in the ozone layer with the greenhouse effect.

Most New Zealanders apparently know that burning of fossil fuels is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect, but believe that the manifestation of this effect is a hole in the ozone layer. This confusion suggests a perception among New Zealanders that all pollution is harmful, rather than a sophisticated understanding of the effect of using fossil fuels.

On most of the other scientific facts tested, New Zealanders' level of knowledge was generally quite good. More than 90% of respondents knew that radioactive waste from power stations will be dangerous for thousands of years and only 34% thought (incorrectly) that someone exposed to any amount of radioactivity is certain to die as a result. However, more than 40% of the sample incorrectly believed that all radioactivity is made by humans.

Most of those surveyed (73%) knew that antibiotics can kill bacteria but not viruses; however, understanding of the effect of chemicals on humans was less widespread. Nearly 50% of respondents believed that all man-made chemicals can cause cancer if you eat enough of them, and more than 30% thought that all pesticides and chemicals used on food crops cause cancer in humans.

Seventy percent of respondents correctly answered that human beings are the main cause of plant and animal species dying out, but half of the sample thought that astrology -- the study of the influence of stars and planets on human affairs -- had some scientific truth. Nearly 30% did not believe it was true that human beings developed from earlier species of animals. In fact, among those who identified themselves as belonging to certain religious denominations (Pentecostal, Assembly of God, for example) the proportion who thought this latter statement was false was 100%. So it is perhaps inappropriate to use acceptance of the theory of evolution as a measure of scientific knowledge, since this is, for many people, a theological issue.

It is also possible that some of the apparent lack of knowledge revealed by the survey is the result of misinterpretation or misunderstanding of the statements used. For example, "All man-made chemicals can cause cancer if you eat enough of them" (incorrect) could have been interpreted as "If you eat enough of anything, it can kill you" (possibly correct). However, we can only judge respondents' answers on the basis of the statements as they appeared in the questionnaire.

There were no consistent differences in the level of scientific knowledge between men and women, or among the young, middle-aged and old. More women than men believed that the greenhouse effect is caused by a hole in the Earth's atmosphere and that astrology has some scientific truth. Conversely, fewer men than women were correct about the efficacy of antibiotics or the main cause of plant and animal species dying out. Younger people (under 30) had lesser understanding of the source of radioactivity and the scientific basis of astrology than older people's. But this trend was reversed for the statements concerning the theory of evolution, the certainty of man-made chemicals causing cancer if you eat enough of them, and the cause of plant and animal species dying out.

Education Effect

The one variable which had a strong and consistent relationship with level of scientific knowledge was education. The proportion of correct responses among those with some tertiary education was higher than among those with no tertiary education for every statement tested except one (the cause of plant and animal species dying out).

For graduates compared to non-graduates this effect was even more pronounced. Graduates were the only group in which a majority (52%) correctly answered that the greenhouse effect was not caused by a hole in the atmosphere. They also had the lowest level of incorrect agreement (20%) with the statement that all radioactivity is made by humans (40% of non-graduates agreed), and the lowest level of agreement (12%) that any exposure to radioactivity will be fatal (32% of non-graduates agreed).

Overall, it appears that New Zealanders have a reasonable understanding of some basic scientific issues, but, predictably, people with higher levels of education have higher levels of scientific knowledge. This relationship between education and understanding influences people's attitudes towards science -- those who gave correct answers to the questions about science also tended to disagree that modern science does more harm than good, or that we believe too often in science and not enough in feelings and faith.

Most New Zealanders (60%) believe that, on balance, science does more good than harm. However, science is certainly not seen as a panacea for environmental problems. About one-third of New Zealanders consider that any change in nature, no matter how scientific, is likely to make things worse, and only 14% believe that modern science will solve our environmental problems with little change to our way of life. Furthermore, there is fairly widespread support (53%) for the view that we believe too much in science and not enough in feelings and fate.

In general, men tend to be more positive towards science and its potential to solve environmental problems than do women. This is manifested, for example, in women's stronger agreement that belief in feelings and faith is undervalued. However, while these differences in attitudes between men and women are large among non-graduates, they are much smaller and often disappear completely among graduates. Regardless of level of education, younger people are more positive about science than older people, but are also more sceptical -- or perhaps more realistic -- about its ability to solve our environmental problems.

If the evidence of the survey reported here is any indication, New Zealand is not a nation of scientific ignoramuses. There is confusion and misunderstanding about some scientific issues (particularly the greenhouse effect), but generally New Zealanders can demonstrate a sound knowledge of basic science facts. This level of knowledge has relatively little to do with age or sex, but has everything to do with education. People with higher levels of education have a greater understanding of science. And, furthermore, people with a greater understanding of science also have more positive attitudes towards it.

Philip Gendall is Professor of Marketing and Deborah Russell is a research assistant in the Department of Marketing at Massey University.

Believe It or Not

Test your own scientific knowledge by sorting out the correct statements from the incorrect.

• Some radioactive waste from nuclear power stations will be dangerous for thousands of years.
• Every time we use coal or oil or gas we contribute to the greenhouse effect.
• Antibiotics can kill bacteria, but not viruses.
• Human beings are the main cause of plant and animal species dying out.
• Human beings developed from earlier species of animals.
• If someone is exposed to any amount of radioactivity, they are certain to die as a result.
• All pesticides and chemicals used on food crops cause cancer in humans.
• All radioactivity is made by humans.
• All man-made chemicals can cause cancer if you eat enough of them.
• Astrology -- the study of star signs -- has some scientific truth.
• The greenhouse effect is caused by a hole in the Earth's atmosphere.

Philip Gendall is Professor of Marketing at Massey University.
Deborah Russell is a research assistant in the Department of Marketing at Massey University.