Public Communication about Science in 68 Countries: Global Evidence on How People Encounter and Engage with Information about Science

This 68-country survey ( n = 71,922) examines science information diets and communication behavior, identifies cross-country differences, and tests how such differences are associated with sociopolitical and economic conditions. We find that social media are the most used sources of science information in most countries, except those with democratic-corporatist media systems where news media tend to be used more widely. People in collectivist societies are less outspoken about science in daily life, whereas lower education is associated with higher outspokenness. Limited access to digital media is correlated with participation in public protests on science matters. We discuss implications for future research, policy, and practice.

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Journal
Science Communication
Published
2025-10-21
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470251376615
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Climate Change Communication and Perception
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
8.40

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Public Communication about Science in 68 Countries: Global Evidence on How People Encounter and Engage with Information about Science

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article en
2 citations

Abstract

This 68-country survey ( n = 71,922) examines science information diets and communication behavior, identifies cross-country differences, and tests how such differences are associated with sociopolitical and economic conditions. We find that social media are the most used sources of science information in most countries, except those with democratic-corporatist media systems where news media tend to be used more widely. People in collectivist societies are less outspoken about science in daily life, whereas lower education is associated with higher outspokenness. Limited access to digital media is correlated with participation in public protests on science matters. We discuss implications for future research, policy, and practice.

Science Communication
Linköping University (SE), Boston College (US), Eötvös Loránd University (HU), Institut polytechnique de Grenoble (FR), University of Notre Dame (US), Boston University (US), Leuphana University of Lüneburg (DE), Tongji University (CN), Australian National University (AU), National Research University Higher School of Economics (RU), University of Bern (CH), University of Nigeria (NG), Nkumba University (UG), Universidad Complutense de Madrid (ES), California Institute of Technology (US), Western University (CA), Jagiellonian University (PL), Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (US), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Vienna (AT), University of Tasmania (AU), University of Minnesota (US), Bern University of Applied Sciences (CH), Ural Federal University (RU), Université Libre de Bruxelles (BE), Harvey Mudd College (US), RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research (DE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (BE), University of Bonn (DE), University of Lisbon (PT), University of Crete (GR), Loughborough University (GB), University of Buea (CM), Waseda University (JP), University of Ljubljana (SI), University of Alberta (CA), University of Turku (FI), Witten/Herdecke University (DE), University of Botswana (BW), Universität Hamburg (DE), Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia (ID), University of Sussex (GB), George Mason University (US), The University of Melbourne (AU), National Taiwan University (TW), City University of Hong Kong (HK), Aston University (GB), University of Groningen (NL), University of Concepción (CL), Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (IL), University of Potsdam (DE), The University of Western Australia (AU), Pomona College (US), Université de Dschang (CM), Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Yogyakarta (ID), Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (BR), Royal Holloway University of London (GB), Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (MX), Carleton College (US), Utrecht University (NL), La Trobe University (AU), Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (PE), Bowen University (NG), University of Agder (NO), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HK), University of Zurich (CH), University of St.Gallen (CH), Aarhus University (DK), Trinity College Dublin (IE), University of Kent (GB), Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK), University of Victoria (CA), Charles University (CZ), University of Münster (DE), University of Cambridge (GB), Trinity Western University (CA), Stellenbosch University (ZA), University Hospital Bonn (DE), Harvard University Press (US), Leibniz Institute for Psychology (DE), Karolinska Institutet (SE), LMU Klinikum (DE), Nicolaus Copernicus University (PL), Université Rennes 2 (FR), UNSW Sydney (AU), University of Malaya (MY), University of Łódź (PL), ETH Zurich (CH), Uniwersytet SWPS (PL), University of Oxford (GB), Université Paris Nanterre (FR), University of Belgrade (RS), Victoria University of Wellington (NZ), Institute for Sociology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK), Ansbach University of Applied Sciences (DE), TED University (TR), University of Inland Norway (NO), Max Planck Institute for Human Development (DE), Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (ES), Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique (MA), Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (DE), Crete University Press (GR), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR), University of Bergen (NO), Jahangirnagar University (BD), University of Warsaw (PL), University of Bath (GB), University of Waikato (NZ), University of Bayreuth (DE), New York University (US), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (MX), Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (PL), Nazarbayev University (KZ), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US), Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (MX), University of Tirana (AL), University of Pennsylvania (US), University of Birmingham (GB), University of Otago (NZ), University of Tübingen (DE), Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (CH), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (PT), University of Genoa (IT), University of Silesia in Katowice (PL), University of Delaware (US), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL), KIMEP University (KZ), University of the Philippines Diliman (PH), Michigan State University (US), National University of Malaysia (MY), University of Amsterdam (NL), Université Grenoble Alpes (FR), Ruhr University Bochum (DE), University of Sheffield (GB), Wageningen University & Research (NL), Erasmus University Rotterdam (NL), Saarland University (DE), Philadelphia University (US), University of Lübeck (DE), University of Bamberg (DE), Nantes Université (FR), Lviv Polytechnic National University (UA), Macquarie University (AU), Tsinghua University (CN)
National Science Foundation, United States Agency for International Development, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, John Templeton Foundation, Carleton College, Harvey Mudd College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Université Catholique de Louvain, Univerzita Karlova v Praze, City University of Hong Kong, Aarhus Universitet, Trinity Western University, Government of Alberta, UK Research and Innovation, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, University of Warwick, European Commission, University of Tasmania, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Branco Weiss Fellowship – Society in Science, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Austrian Science Fund, Aarhus Universitets Forskningsfond, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Universität Wien, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Universität zu Lübeck, Vetenskapsrådet, Aston University, Universitetet i Bergen, Agentúra na Podporu Výskumu a Vývoja, Turun Yliopisto, Uniwersytet Łódzki, Uniwersytet Warszawski, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología, Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan, Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach, National Science and Technology Council, Centre for Marine Socioecology, Kementerian Pendidikan, Kebudayaan, Riset, dan Teknologi, Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme, Economic and Social Research Council, Centre for Research in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Cambridge, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Bundesamt für Energie, European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership
Openalex Percentile: Top 3%
Climate Change Communication and Perception
8.40
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