Science on the mind: Examining question ordering effects when asking about science on large-scale surveys

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Science Communication
• Survey Methodology

Background:

• Previous studies show religious identity influences attitudes toward science.
• Survey design choices can affect how individuals perceive science and religion.
• The impact of question order on these attitudes remains under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how the order of science and religion questions in a survey influences respondents' attitudes.
• To determine if presenting science questions before religion/paranormal questions impacts attitudes toward science.

Main Methods:

• Employed an experimental design within a large-scale survey.
• Manipulated the order of questions related to science and religion/paranormal topics.
• Analyzed differences in attitudes based on question sequence.

Main Results:

• Responding to science questions first increased interest in science.
• Prioritizing science questions enhanced confidence in the scientific community and trust in scientists.
• The order of questions positively influenced agreement with scientific statements and perceived scientific knowledge confidence.

Conclusions:

• Survey question order is a critical factor when measuring attitudes toward science and religion.
• Researchers should carefully consider question sequencing to avoid biased attitude measurements.
• Future research should explore the long-term effects and nuances of question order in attitude surveys.