Open AccessA desire for authoritative science? How citizens’ informational needs and epistemic beliefs shaped their views of science, news, and policymaking in the COVID-19 pandemic
Author(s) -
Senja Post,
Nils Bienzeisler,
Mareike Lohöfener
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
public understanding of science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1361-6609
pISSN - 0963-6625
DOI - 10.1177/09636625211005334
Subject(s) - pandemic , construct (python library) , public relations , covid-19 , sociology , science communication , residence , political science , democracy , public opinion , epistemology , science education , politics , law , medicine , philosophy , disease , pathology , computer science , infectious disease (medical specialty) , programming language , demography
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.