Secular Café: Trust in Science Among Conservatives.

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Trust in Science Among Conservatives. Mar 30th 2012, 02:13 Drops even among the educated ones... link Quote: Conservatives, particularly those with college educations, have become dramatically more skeptical of science over the past four decades, according to a study published in the April issue of the American Sociological Review. Fewer than 35 percent of conservatives say they have a "great deal" of trust in the scientific community now, compared to nearly half in 1974. "The scientific community ... has been concerned about this growing distrust in the public with science. And what I found in the study is basically that's really not the problem. The growing distrust of science is entirely focused in two groups—conservatives and people who frequently attend church," says the study's author, University of North Carolina postdoctoral fellow Gordon Gauchat. ... Previous studies have shown that climate change, the widely-accepted theory that man-made carbon emissions are causing the world to grow warmer, is very unpopular among conservatives, and especially white conservative males. In 2008, half of all conservatives believed in climate change. By 2010, only a third did, compared to more than 70 percent of liberals, according to a Gallup poll. The issue has caused a bit of a hubbub in the Republican primary. Failed candidate Jon Huntsman wrote in August, "To be clear. I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy," before later walking that back and saying there were still doubts. Newt Gingrich has been pounded repeatedly by rival Rick Santorum—who says global warming is a "hoax"—for appearing in an anti-climate change ad with Nancy Pelosi in 2006. (He's since said there is evidence "on both sides of the issue.") And Mitt Romney says he believes the Earth is getting warmer, but isn't sure how much humans are contributing to that. :bang:

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