CONFIDENCE IN SCIENCE

percent with a great deal of confidence in the scientific community · 1973–2024 · higher is better · NORC General Social Survey (cumulative file 1972–2024)

36.3%

2024 (latest)

41.1%

1973

50.6%

high · 1974

36.3%

low · 2024

−4.8 pts

since 1973

┊ dashed lines mark 1979 Oil shock & inflation peak · 1987 Black Monday crash · 1991 Gulf War recession · 2001 Dot-com bust & 9/11 · 2008 Global financial crisis · 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

Method & caveats. … — Scientific community NORC General Social Survey cumulative file, computed here from the public microdata: weighted (WTSSPS, NORC's post-stratification weight available for every year 1972–2024) share of valid responses. 2021 moved to a push-to-web design during the pandemic and 2022/2024 are mixed-mode; NORC advises caution comparing 2021+ with the in-person years, so treat 2021 as a seam. Years with fewer than 200 weighted responses are dropped.

Sources

Every value on this page is read from the publisher below. Current and historical source documents:

Data

Year	Confidence in Science	Change
2024	36.3%	−2.7 pts
2022	39%	−8.9 pts
2021	47.9%	+0.3 pts
2018	47.6%	+4.0 pts
2016	43.6%	+0.6 pts
2014	43%	+0.7 pts
2012	42.3%	−0.6 pts
2010	42.9%	+2.7 pts
2008	40.2%	−3.9 pts
2006	44.1%	+1.5 pts
2004	42.6%	+2.1 pts
2002	40.5%	−4.8 pts
2000	45.3%	+1.4 pts
1998	43.9%	+0.6 pts
1996	43.3%	+2.2 pts
1994	41.1%	+0.7 pts
1993	40.4%	−3.4 pts
1991	43.8%	+1.6 pts
1990	42.2%	−3.0 pts
1989	45.2%	+2.0 pts
1988	43.2%	−4.6 pts
1987	47.8%	+4.9 pts
1986	42.9%	−7.0 pts
1984	49.9%	+5.0 pts
1983	44.9%	+1.6 pts
1982	43.3%	−1.1 pts
1980	44.4%	+3.6 pts
1978	40.8%	−3.4 pts
1977	44.2%	−3.7 pts
1976	47.9%	+5.9 pts
1975	42%	−8.6 pts
1974	50.6%	+9.5 pts
1973	41.1%	—

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