Scientific Literacy, Attitudes towards Science, Religiosity and Superstitious Beliefs in the Romanian Context

by Eugen Glavan on Jul 18, 2010

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The present work, “Relationships between Scientific Literacy, Attitudes towards Science, Religiosity and Superstitious Beliefs in Romanian Context” is based on the first major research conducted in Romania concerning the public understanding of science paradigm. The research took place in the summer of 2009 and is representative for the Romanian, adult population. The information gathered concerns scientific literacy, attitudes towards science, medical knowledge, superstitious beliefs and religiosity.
The coexistence of apparently opposed dimensions can be often seen in the Romanian public space. An example is the last presidential elections when the candidate that lost the elections explained his failure through pseudoscientific phenomenon.
In this context the authors of this presentation will try to see the relationship between scientific knowledge, attitudes concerning science, superstitious beliefs and religiosity in contemporary Romanian society. One of our hypothesis is that religiosity will not be positively associated with superstitious beliefs. We’d expect that people who explain the events around them through Divinity would not believe that number 13 will bring bad luck or that if your left hand itches you will receive money (examples of common superstitions). Another hypothesis regards religiosity and its relation with scientific knowledge. We suppose that people who are more religious would have lower score of scientific literacy and, perhaps, a negative attitude towards science.
Finally we will take into consideration the relationship between scientific knowledge and superstitious beliefs. We presume that those who have a high score in the scientific knowledge scale will be less superstitious.

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Scientific Literacy, Attitudes towards Science, Religiosity and Superstitious Beliefs in the Romanian Context — Presentation Transcript

Scientific Literacy, Attitudes towards Science, Religiosity and Superstitious Beliefs in the Romanian Context
Eugen Glăvan
AlexandruCernat
University of Bucharest
Science and the Public 2010, London

Outline

Project outline: STISOC 2009
Who are we ? Science and public in the Romanian context
ROU-UE comparison on macro-economic indicators;
ROU-UE comparison on scientific literacy scale;
ROU-UE comparison on attitudes scale.
Dimensional measurement:

scientific literacy;
attitudes towards science;
religiosity;
superstitious beliefs.

Interactions among dimensions

Project: Science, Technology and Society. Interests and perceptions of public regarding scientific research and technological applications. Project Director: Professor Lazăr Vlăsceanu, University of Bucharest
Finance: National Authority for Scientific Research, PNII-CDI
Main themes: knowledge about and attitudes towards science and technology; medical knowledge; religious beliefs.
Coverage: dates of fieldwork: June-August 2009; observation unit: individuals; universe sampled: national; population: 1161citizens aged over 18 residing in Romania.
Methodology: time dimension: cross-sectional study; sampling procedures: the sampling design was multistadial stratified with clusters selected in the last stage (representative for the population of ROU); respondents wore selected through random root; method of data collection: face-to-face interview; weighting: weighting used (it was computed based on education and size of locality).
Software: SPSS (PASW v.18), Mplus v.5
Estimation and missing data: weighted least-squares with mean and variance adjustment (WLSMV) were used for calculating estimates and pairwise deletion

for missing data.

error margin ± 3% , confidence interval 95%

3
Project outline: STISOC 2009

The first major research conducted in Romania related to “the public understanding of science paradigm”.
We are looking at relationships between scientific knowledge, attitudes towards science, superstitious beliefs and religiosity in contemporary Romanian society.
Hypothesis 1: religiosity would not be positively associated with superstitious beliefs. We’d expect that people who explain the events around them through Divinity would not believe that number 13 will bring bad luck or that if your left hand itches you will receive money (examples of common superstitions).
Hypothesis 2: people with a high score on the scientific knowledge scale are less superstitious.
Hypothesis 3: people who are more religious have lower scores of scientific literacy
Hypothesis 4: people who have more scientific knowledge have more positive attitude towards science
4
Research questions / Hypotesis

5
Context: Who are we? Macro-economic indicators
Lowest exports of high technology products as a share of total exports: 3.846

6
Measurement of Scientific literacy dimension

7
Comparing Scientific Literacy Scores
Deficit model: better scientific literacy leads to positive attitudes towards science
Cultural principles or beliefs and areas of science (Pardo & Calvo, 2004)
Weak correlation between CS and positive attitudes (Allum, 2008)

8
Measurement of Attitudes dimensions
Idealism
Risks
Benefits
Lack of utility

9
SEM of Attitudes dimensions

SEM of Attitudes dimensions
10

11
Measurement of superstitious and religious dimensions (I)

12
Measurement of superstitious and religious dimensions (II)

Structural Equations Model (SEM)
Idealism
Scientific Literacy Index
Lack of Utility
Chi-Square: 3407.596; d.f.: 187; p: 0.000
CFI: 0.948
RMSEA: 0.029
Religious Practices
Risks
Positive relation
Religious Faith
Negative relation
Benefits
Super-stitious
Science vs. Religion
13
Hypothesis 1: religiosity would not be positively associated with superstitious beliefs. (partially)
Hypothesis 2: people with a high score on the scientific knowledge scale are less superstitious. (confirmed)
Hypothesis 3: people who are more religious have lower scores of scientific literacy. (confirmed)
Hypothesis 4: people who have more scientific knowledge have more positive attitude towards science. (partially)

BibliographyConclusions
Albarracin, D., Johnson, B. T., & Zanna, M. P. (2005). The handbook of attitudes. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Allum, N., Sturgis, P., Tabourazi, D., & Brunton-Smith, I. (2008). Science knowledge and attitudes across cultures: a meta-analysis. Public Understanding of Science, 17, 35-54.
Bauer, M. W., Petkova, K., & Boyadjieva, P. (2000). Public Knowledge of and Attitudes to Science: Alternative Measures That May End the "Science War". Science, Technology, & Human Values, 25 (1, Winter), 30-51.
Gauchat, G. W. (2008). A Test of Three Theories of Anti-Science Attitudes. Sociological Focus, 41 (Nov. 4), 337-357.
Lidskog, R. (1996). In Science We Trust? On the Relation Between Scientific Knowledge, Risk Consciousness and Public Trust. ActaSociologica, 39, 31-56.
Miller, J. D. (2004). Public understanding of, and attitudes toward, scientific research: what we know and what we need to know. Public Understanding of Science, 13, 273–294
Oskamp, S., & Schultz, P. W. (2005). Attitudes and Opinions. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Pardo, R., & Calvo, F. (2004). The Cognitive Dimension of Public Perceptions of Science: Methodological Issues. Public Understanding of Science, 13 (3), 203-227.
Pinch, T. J., & Bijker, W. E. (1984). The Social Construction of Facts and Artefacts: Or How the Sociology of Science and the Sociology of Technology Might Benefit Each Other. Social Studies of Science, 14 (3, Aug.), 399-441.
Pion, G. M., & Lipsey, M. W. (1981). Public Attitudes Toward Science and Technology: What Have the Surveys Told Us? The Public Opinion Quarterly, 45 (3 Autumn), 303-316
Sample, J., & Warland, R. (1973). Attitude and Prediction of Behavior. Social Forces, 51 (3, Mar.), 292-304.
Shanahan, J., Scheufele, D., & Lee, E. (2001). Trends: Attitudes about Agricultural Biotechnology and Genetically Modified Organisms. The Public Opinion Quarterly, 65 (no. 2, Summer), 267-281
*** European Barometer 2005
*** European Barometer 2010

Thank You
Eugen Glăvan
University of Bucharest
Faculty of Sociologyand Social Work
glavan.eugen@gmail.com
Alexandru Cernat
University of Bucharest
Faculty of Sociologyand Social Work
cernat.alex@gmail.com

Scientific Literacy, Attitudes towards Science, Religiosity and Superstitious Beliefs in the Romanian Context

by Eugen Glavan on Jul 18, 2010

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Scientific Literacy, Attitudes towards Science, Religiosity and Superstitious Beliefs in the Romanian Context — Presentation Transcript