Ideology and scientific credibility: environmental policy in the American Pacific Northwest

In the later years of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first century, therehas been an increasing emphasis among many decision-makers, interest groups, andcitizens about the importance of science-based environmental policy. The assumptionis that scientists can facilitate the resolution of public environmental decisionsby providing scientific information to policymakers and the public, and by becomingmore directly involved in policy arenas than they have traditionally been. However,at the same time, there are those who question the value of science, especially forideological reasons. This study empirically examines the impact of ideology onattitudes toward science, scientific research, and scientists among variousenvironmental policy participants. The data utilized to investigate theseorientations were collected from surveys of five different groups involved inenvironmental policy and management in the Pacific Northwest including ecologicalscientists at universities and federal agencies; natural resource and environmentalmanagers of state and federal programs; members of interest groups (e.g.,environmental groups, industry associations, etc.); the “attentivepublic” (i.e., citizens who have participated in the environmental policyprocess); and the general public. Preliminary results reveal significant differencesbetween liberals and conservatives in their orientations toward science, withself-identified liberals generally more likely to see science and scientists asobjective and conservatives having a contrary view