Honesty, transparency, and rigour: A study of public trust in scientists in South Africa

Abstract

This paper presents an updated analysis of South Africans’ trust in scientists, situated within the South African context and based on a secondary analysis of the Trust in Science and Science-Related Populism (TISP) data set. We find that South Africans have moderately high trust in scientists (ranked 23rd) and perceive scientists as having moderately benevolent intentions and moderate integrity. South Africans’ trust in scientists is mainly based on trust in the scientific method. We also present evidence on how trust is shaped by factors such as gender, age, education, religion, income, and ideology. While most South Africans trust scientists, many are concerned about the unequal distribution of the benefits of science. Furthermore, there is a strong public demand for scientists to communicate their work more effectively, engage in dialogue with society, and advocate for the value of science in policymaking. Overall, our results provide a nuanced picture of trust in scientists in South Africa, with implications for future research, communication practices, and policymaking.