An intergroup perspective on evolutionary scepticism

This paper reviews findings of nine large representative surveys assessing people's evolutionary acceptance and whether it relates to people's (non-) religious identities. It summarises findings of two surveys conducted within the UK and Canada in 2017 and of seven surveys conducted within the UK, Canada, Australia, US, Argentina, Spain, and Germany in 2023. Findings show that evolution acceptance is high. Dissecting the findings shows that evolution rejection might be partially driven by social cognitive processes that facilitate group boundaries. Using a social identity lens and social cognitive theories such a social-projection and counter-projection when interpreting the findings, it provides novel insights into how the perception of a necessary conflict between science and religion drives public perceptions of evolution scepticism.