Abstract
“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.
Department
Sociology
Publication Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal of Science Communication
Publisher
Sissa Medialab
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Safford, Thomas G.; Whitmore, Emily H.; and Hamilton, Lawrence C., "Follow the Scientists? How Beliefs about the Practice of Science Shaped COVID-19 Views" (2021). Journal of Science Communication. 1213.
https://scholars.unh.edu/faculty_pubs/1213
Comments
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Sissa Medialab in the Journal of Science Communication in 2021, available online:
https://doi.org/10.22323/2.20070203