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German Public Distrusts Research Due to Funding Influence
A survey reveals that a majority of Germans believe that research is influenced by funding sources and that there is a lack of trust in researchers due to this dependence.
German
Germany
Germany ScienceArtificial IntelligencePublic OpinionFundingTrustBias
Wissenschaft Im DialogVerianCarl-Zeiss-StiftungKlaus Tschira StiftungFraunhofer-Gesellschaft
Benedikt Fecher
- What does Wissenschaft im Dialog suggest to improve public perception of research integrity?
- Wissenschaft im Dialog, the organization behind the survey, emphasizes the need for transparent communication about research methods and funding to counteract this public perception of bias.
- What percentage of respondents view academic freedom as either good or very good in Germany?
- Only 45% believe that academic freedom is good or very good in Germany, while almost as many (39%) think it's only partially present.
- How has public trust in researchers changed regarding their dependence on funding according to the survey?
- The survey shows a growing distrust in researchers due to their dependence on funding, with 62% believing researchers are untrustworthy, up from 54% the previous year.
- What is the main finding of the Wissenschaftsbarometer 2024 survey regarding public perception of research funding's influence?
- A majority of Germans believe that research is influenced by funding from politics and business, according to a 2024 survey by Wissenschaft im Dialog.
- Besides funding from politics and business, what other factors are mentioned in the survey as potentially hindering scientific freedom?
- Many respondents also suspect that journalists distort research findings (60%) and that universities restrict what scientists can communicate (40%).