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

TISP consortium

doi:10.1177/10755470251376615

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

TISP consortium

Wageningen University and Research
ETH Zürich
Bern University of Applied Science
Michigan State University
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
Stellenbosch University
George Mason University
Loughborough University
Harvard University
University of Zurich
University of Cambridge
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University
University of Malaya
Eötvös Loránd University
University of Sheffield
Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia
University of Sussex
Macquarie University
University of Dschang
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Leibniz Institute for Psychology Information
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
California Institute of Technology
Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga, Yogyakarta
University of Utrecht
National Institute of Science and Technology on Social and Affective Neuroscience
University of Tirana
University of Botswana
University of St. Gallen
SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities
University of Warsaw
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Harvey Mudd College
Institut de Recherche en Génie Civil et Mécanique
Slovak Academy of Sciences
Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology
University of Genoa
Universität zu Lübeck
Boston University
Jagiellonian University
Université Rennes 2
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
University of Vienna
University of Tasmania
University of Otago

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

10 Citations (SciVal)

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.

Original language	English
Article number	10755470251376615
Journal	Science Communication
Early online date	21 Oct 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470251376615 https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470251376615
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 21 Oct 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

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/

Access to Document

10.1177/10755470251376615Licence: CC BY
10.1177/10755470251376615

https://osf.io/preprints/osf/xb3ha_v4Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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

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.",

author = "\{TISP consortium\} and Mede, \{Niels G.\} and Viktoria Cologna and Sebastian Berger and \{C. Besley\}, John and Cameron Brick and Marina Joubert and \{W. Maibach\}, Edward and Sabina Mihelj and Naomi Oreskes and \{S. Sch{\"a}fer\}, Mike and \{van der Linden\}, Sander and \{Abdul Aziz\}, \{Nor Izzatina\} and Suleiman Abdulsalam and \{Abu Shamsi\}, Nurulaini and Balazs Aczel and Indro Adinugroho and Eleonora Alabrese and Alaa Aldoh and Mark Alfano and \{Mbulli Ali\}, Innocent and Mohammed Alsobay and Marlene Altenm{\"u}ller and Alvarez, \{R. Michael\} and Patrick Ansah and Denisa Apriliawati and Flavio Azevedo and Ani Bajrami and Ronita Bardhan and Keagile Bati and Eri Bertsou and Rahul Bhui and Olga Bia{\l}obrzeska and Michal Bilewicz and Ayoub Bouguettaya and Katherine Breeden and Am{\'e}lie Bret and Ondrej Buchel and \{Cabrera Alvarez\}, Pablo and Federica Cagnoli and \{Calero Valdez\}, Andr{\'e} and Timothy Callaghan and \{Kaye Cases\}, Rizza and Gabriela Czarnek and Ramit Debnath and Sylvain Delouv{\'e}e and \{Di Stefano\}, Lucia and Celia Diaz-Catal{\`a}n and \{C. Doell\}, Kimberly and \{A. Jones\}, Charlotte and \{R. Kerr\}, John",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).",

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month = oct,

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doi = "10.1177/10755470251376615",

language = "English",

journal = "Science Communication",

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AU - TISP consortium

AU - Mede, Niels G.

AU - Cologna, Viktoria

AU - Berger, Sebastian

AU - C. Besley, John

AU - Brick, Cameron

AU - Joubert, Marina

AU - W. Maibach, Edward

AU - Mihelj, Sabina

AU - Oreskes, Naomi

AU - S. Schäfer, Mike

AU - van der Linden, Sander

AU - Abdul Aziz, Nor Izzatina

AU - Abdulsalam, Suleiman

AU - Abu Shamsi, Nurulaini

AU - Aczel, Balazs

AU - Adinugroho, Indro

AU - Alabrese, Eleonora

AU - Aldoh, Alaa

AU - Alfano, Mark

AU - Mbulli Ali, Innocent

AU - Alsobay, Mohammed

AU - Altenmüller, Marlene

AU - Alvarez, R. Michael

AU - Ansah, Patrick

AU - Apriliawati, Denisa

AU - Azevedo, Flavio

AU - Bajrami, Ani

AU - Bardhan, Ronita

AU - Bati, Keagile

AU - Bertsou, Eri

AU - Bhui, Rahul

AU - Białobrzeska, Olga

AU - Bilewicz, Michal

AU - Bouguettaya, Ayoub

AU - Breeden, Katherine

AU - Bret, Amélie

AU - Buchel, Ondrej

AU - Cabrera Alvarez, Pablo

AU - Cagnoli, Federica

AU - Calero Valdez, André

AU - Callaghan, Timothy

AU - Kaye Cases, Rizza

AU - Czarnek, Gabriela

AU - Debnath, Ramit

AU - Delouvée, Sylvain

AU - Di Stefano, Lucia

AU - Diaz-Catalàn, Celia

AU - C. Doell, Kimberly

AU - A. Jones, Charlotte

AU - R. Kerr, John

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).

PY - 2025/10/21

Y1 - 2025/10/21

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105044754271

U2 - 10.1177/10755470251376615

DO - 10.1177/10755470251376615

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105044754271

SN - 1075-5470

JO - Science Communication

JF - Science Communication

M1 - 10755470251376615

ER -

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

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Access to Document

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