Public communication about science in 68 countries: Global evidence on how people encounter and engage with information about science

Niels G. Mede, Viktoria Cologna, Eleonora Alabrese

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This 68-country survey (n = 71,922) examines science information diets and communication behavior, identifies cross-country differences, and tests how economic and sociopolitical conditions predict such differences. 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.
Original languageEnglish
JournalScience Communication
Early online date21 Oct 2025
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 21 Oct 2025

Data Availability Statement

All data and code underlying this study as well as additional materials (e.g., pre-computed models, figures in high resolution) are available at the Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/gvcfe/. Raw data and survey instruments are publicly available at: https://osf.io/5c3qd/

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