Authors

• Varpula, Vesa (Tieteen tiedotus ry)

Keywords

artificial intelligence, information sources, institutions, research, science, science policy, scientific cooperation, scientific development, scientific progress

Abstract

The survey studied Finnish public opinion on science and research and mapped their role in society. As a new theme, respondents were asked about their attitudes toward artificial intelligence and its applications in society.

First, respondents were asked which scientific fields interested them and where they obtained information about science and its development. Respondents were also asked about the future impact of science and research on people's everyday lives, and to evaluate various aspects of the state and quality of science and research in Finland. Next, respondents were asked about their trust in various institutions, including the European Parliament, the church, trade unions, the media, the armed forces, and universities. The respondents were also asked to name a Finnish researcher whom they considered trustworthy.

In addition, questions were asked about the development of science and research and the ability of science to solve societal problems. Respondents were also asked about the relation between science and politics. The survey also included various attitudinal statements about science and research. The statements covered, for instance, relationships between religion and science, science funding, alternative medicine, researchers' involvement in politics, use of scientific information in political decision-making, impact of scientific and technological development, climate change, and nutrition. Finally, the respondents' attitudes toward artificial intelligence and its applications, such as self-driving cars or facial recognition in border control, were examined. The respondents were also asked to consider the opportunities and threats posed by artificial intelligence in an open-ended question.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, age, population of their municipality of residence, NUTS2 region, type of accommodation, household characteristics, basic and vocational education, statistical grouping of municipalities, political party preference, economic activity and occupational status, and household's annual income.