Survey. The scientific community is not independent for more than a third of French people, according to a barometer

The scientific community is not independent for 35% of French people, a figure down five points from 2022, according to the “Barometer of critical thinking” produced by Opinionway* for Universcience, the public establishment which brings together the Palais de la Découverte and the Cité des Sciences, in partnership with franceinfo, and published on Thursday March 23.

According to this study, the French seem more than fractured in their relationship to science. For example, 51% of French respondents answered positively to the question of whether science is the only reliable source of information on the world, a stable figure compared to 2022. For 48% of them, the scientific community is independent while it is not for 35%. Moreover, for more than one in two French people (58%), scientific theories are only “theories like any other”.

80% say they are “ready to change their opinion based on convincing reasons”

Asked also about the sources of information in which they have confidence on the climate issue, scientists specializing in the subject come first, 42% of respondents trusting the majority of them, but only 39% “to some”. Museums and science culture centers follow (35% of respondents trust most of them, 38% some). On the other hand, 10% of French people trust the majority of political figures and influencers to inform them about the climate issue.

Regarding the open-mindedness of the French, 80% of them declare themselves “willing to change their opinion on the basis of convincing reasons”a figure down six points from 2022, while 69% say “to consult many different opinions before forming my own opinion”a figure down 12 points compared to 2022. Finally, half of French people (50%) prefer to chat with people who do not think like them (-1 point).

*This survey was conducted from January 16 to 25 with 2,048 people constituting a representative sample of the French population. The quota method was applied.