Public knowledge of and attitudes to science: Alternative measures that may end the "science war"

Research on the public understanding of science has measured knowledge as a cquaintance with scientific facts and methods and attitudes as evaluations of societal consequences of science and technology The authors propose alte rnative concepts and measures: knowledge of the workings of scientific inst itutions and attitudes to the nature of science. The viability, reliability , and validity of the new measures are demonstrated on British and Bulgaria n data. The instrument consists of twenty items and takes ten to fifteen mi nutes to apply Differences in the representation of science are reported be tween the British and Bulgarian young elite, between the elite and the publ ic in Bulgaria, between natural and social science students, and between be ginners and advanced students in Britain. The use of these measures will ex tend the scope of science indicator measures used by the European Commissio n and the National Science Foundation, help the assessment of the socializa tion in university training, and may even contribute to the peace process i n the "science wars.".