PERCEPTIONS OF SCIENCE IN CATALAN SOCIETY

The project 'Perception of Science by Catalan Society: Sociological st udy 1995' used a questionnaire to determine: the level of interest in science among Catalans; which channels the public uses to find out abo ut scientific matters; attitudes towards science as an element of cult ure; the level of scientific knowledge of the Catalan population; and the sociological profile of the population according to its level of s cientific culture. Compared with the results of a similar study carrie d out in 1989, knowledge and interest in science in the Catalan popula tion has increased, and may be connected to the increase of the portio n of the population with secondary or university education. Although i nterest has increased among women, those with highest levels of 'scien tific culture' are well educated, socially active young men. Other soc io-demographic features and patterns of media use suggest that more ef fective diffusion of scientific information might be achieved if parti cular types of information were aimed at specific groups through parti cular media.