Public Communication about Science in 68 Countries: Global Evidence on How People Encounter and Engage with Information about Science

Niels G. Mede; Viktoria Cologna; Sebastian Berger; John C. Besley; Cameron Brick; Marina Joubert; Edward W. Maibach; Sabina Mihelj; Naomi Oreskes; Mike S. Schäfer; Sander van der Linden; Nor Izzatina Abdul Aziz; Suleiman Abdulsalam; Nurulaini Abu Shamsi; Balazs Aczel; Indro Adinugroho; Eleonora Alabrese; Alaa Aldoh; Mark Alfano; Innocent Mbulli Ali; Mohammed Alsobay; Marlene Altenmüller; R. Michael Alvarez; Patrick Ansah; Denisa Apriliawati; Flavio Azevedo; Ani Bajrami; Ronita Bardhan; Keagile Bati; Eri Bertsou; Rahul Bhui; Olga Białobrzeska; Michal Bilewicz; Ayoub Bouguettaya; Katherine Breeden; Amélie Bret; Ondrej Buchel; Pablo Cabrera Alvarez; Federica Cagnoli; André Calero Valdez; Timothy Callaghan; Rizza Kaye Cases; Gabriela Czarnek; Ramit Debnath; Sylvain Delouvée; Lucia Di Stefano; Celia Diaz-Catalàn; Kimberly C. Doell; Lilian Kojan

doi:10.1177/10755470251376615

Public Communication about Science in 68 Countries: Global Evidence on How People Encounter and Engage with Information about Science

Niels G. Mede, Viktoria Cologna, Sebastian Berger, John C. Besley, Cameron Brick, Marina Joubert, Edward W. Maibach, Sabina Mihelj, Naomi Oreskes, Mike S. Schäfer, Sander van der Linden, Nor Izzatina Abdul Aziz, Suleiman Abdulsalam, Nurulaini Abu Shamsi, Balazs Aczel, Indro Adinugroho, Eleonora Alabrese, Alaa Aldoh, Mark Alfano, Innocent Mbulli AliMohammed Alsobay, Marlene Altenmüller, R. Michael Alvarez, Patrick Ansah, Denisa Apriliawati, Flavio Azevedo, Ani Bajrami, Ronita Bardhan, Keagile Bati, Eri Bertsou, Rahul Bhui, Olga Białobrzeska, Michal Bilewicz, Ayoub Bouguettaya, Katherine Breeden, Amélie Bret, Ondrej Buchel, Pablo Cabrera Alvarez, Federica Cagnoli, André Calero Valdez, Timothy Callaghan, Rizza Kaye Cases, Gabriela Czarnek, Ramit Debnath, Sylvain Delouvée, Lucia Di Stefano, Celia Diaz-Catalàn, Kimberly C. Doell, Lilian Kojan

Institute of Human-Centered Interactive Systems

Abstract

This 68-country survey ( n = 71,922) examines science information diets and communication behavior, identifies cross-country differences, and tests how such differences are associated with sociopolitical and economic conditions. We find that social media are the most used sources of science information in most countries, except those with democratic-corporatist media systems where news media tend to be used more widely. People in collectivist societies are less outspoken about science in daily life, whereas lower education is associated with higher outspokenness. Limited access to digital media is correlated with participation in public protests on science matters. We discuss implications for future research, policy, and practice.

Original language	English
Journal	Science Communication
ISSN	1075-5470
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470251376615
Publication status	Published - 21.10.2025

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 4 Quality Education
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
SDG 13 Climate Action
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

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Mede, N. G., Cologna, V., Berger, S., C. Besley, J., Brick, C., Joubert, M., W. Maibach, E., Mihelj, S., Oreskes, N., S. Schäfer, M., van der Linden, S., Abdul Aziz, N. I., Abdulsalam, S., Abu Shamsi, N., Aczel, B., Adinugroho, I., Alabrese, E., Aldoh, A., Alfano, M., ... Kojan, L. (2025). Public Communication about Science in 68 Countries: Global Evidence on How People Encounter and Engage with Information about Science. Science Communication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470251376615

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title = "Public Communication about Science in 68 Countries: Global Evidence on How People Encounter and Engage with Information about Science",

abstract = " This 68-country survey ( n = 71,922) examines science information diets and communication behavior, identifies cross-country differences, and tests how such differences are associated with sociopolitical and economic conditions. We find that social media are the most used sources of science information in most countries, except those with democratic-corporatist media systems where news media tend to be used more widely. People in collectivist societies are less outspoken about science in daily life, whereas lower education is associated with higher outspokenness. Limited access to digital media is correlated with participation in public protests on science matters. We discuss implications for future research, policy, and practice. ",

author = "Mede, \{Niels G.\} and Viktoria Cologna and Sebastian Berger and \{C. Besley\}, John and Cameron Brick and Marina Joubert and \{W. Maibach\}, Edward and Sabina Mihelj and Naomi Oreskes and \{S. Sch{\"a}fer\}, Mike and \{van der Linden\}, Sander and \{Abdul Aziz\}, \{Nor Izzatina\} and Suleiman Abdulsalam and \{Abu Shamsi\}, Nurulaini and Balazs Aczel and Indro Adinugroho and Eleonora Alabrese and Alaa Aldoh and Mark Alfano and \{Mbulli Ali\}, Innocent and Mohammed Alsobay and Marlene Altenm{\"u}ller and Alvarez, \{R. Michael\} and Patrick Ansah and Denisa Apriliawati and Flavio Azevedo and Ani Bajrami and Ronita Bardhan and Keagile Bati and Eri Bertsou and Rahul Bhui and Olga Bia{\l}obrzeska and Michal Bilewicz and Ayoub Bouguettaya and Katherine Breeden and Am{\'e}lie Bret and Ondrej Buchel and \{Cabrera Alvarez\}, Pablo and Federica Cagnoli and \{Calero Valdez\}, Andr{\'e} and Timothy Callaghan and \{Kaye Cases\}, Rizza and Gabriela Czarnek and Ramit Debnath and Sylvain Delouv{\'e}e and \{Di Stefano\}, Lucia and Celia Diaz-Catal{\`a}n and \{C. Doell\}, Kimberly and Lilian Kojan",

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Mede, NG, Cologna, V, Berger, S, C. Besley, J, Brick, C, Joubert, M, W. Maibach, E, Mihelj, S, Oreskes, N, S. Schäfer, M, van der Linden, S, Abdul Aziz, NI, Abdulsalam, S, Abu Shamsi, N, Aczel, B, Adinugroho, I, Alabrese, E, Aldoh, A, Alfano, M, Mbulli Ali, I, Alsobay, M, Altenmüller, M, Alvarez, RM, Ansah, P, Apriliawati, D, Azevedo, F, Bajrami, A, Bardhan, R, Bati, K, Bertsou, E, Bhui, R, Białobrzeska, O, Bilewicz, M, Bouguettaya, A, Breeden, K, Bret, A, Buchel, O, Cabrera Alvarez, P, Cagnoli, F, Calero Valdez, A, Callaghan, T, Kaye Cases, R, Czarnek, G, Debnath, R, Delouvée, S, Di Stefano, L, Diaz-Catalàn, C, C. Doell, K & Kojan, L 2025, 'Public Communication about Science in 68 Countries: Global Evidence on How People Encounter and Engage with Information about Science', Science Communication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10755470251376615

TY - JOUR

T1 - Public Communication about Science in 68 Countries: Global Evidence on How People Encounter and Engage with Information about Science

AU - Mede, Niels G.

AU - Cologna, Viktoria

AU - Berger, Sebastian

AU - C. Besley, John

AU - Brick, Cameron

AU - Joubert, Marina

AU - W. Maibach, Edward

AU - Mihelj, Sabina

AU - Oreskes, Naomi

AU - S. Schäfer, Mike

AU - van der Linden, Sander

AU - Abdul Aziz, Nor Izzatina

AU - Abdulsalam, Suleiman

AU - Abu Shamsi, Nurulaini

AU - Aczel, Balazs

AU - Adinugroho, Indro

AU - Alabrese, Eleonora

AU - Aldoh, Alaa

AU - Alfano, Mark

AU - Mbulli Ali, Innocent

AU - Alsobay, Mohammed

AU - Altenmüller, Marlene

AU - Alvarez, R. Michael

AU - Ansah, Patrick

AU - Apriliawati, Denisa

AU - Azevedo, Flavio

AU - Bajrami, Ani

AU - Bardhan, Ronita

AU - Bati, Keagile

AU - Bertsou, Eri

AU - Bhui, Rahul

AU - Białobrzeska, Olga

AU - Bilewicz, Michal

AU - Bouguettaya, Ayoub

AU - Breeden, Katherine

AU - Bret, Amélie

AU - Buchel, Ondrej

AU - Cabrera Alvarez, Pablo

AU - Cagnoli, Federica

AU - Calero Valdez, André

AU - Callaghan, Timothy

AU - Kaye Cases, Rizza

AU - Czarnek, Gabriela

AU - Debnath, Ramit

AU - Delouvée, Sylvain

AU - Di Stefano, Lucia

AU - Diaz-Catalàn, Celia

AU - C. Doell, Kimberly

AU - Kojan, Lilian

PY - 2025/10/21

Y1 - 2025/10/21

N2 - This 68-country survey ( n = 71,922) examines science information diets and communication behavior, identifies cross-country differences, and tests how such differences are associated with sociopolitical and economic conditions. We find that social media are the most used sources of science information in most countries, except those with democratic-corporatist media systems where news media tend to be used more widely. People in collectivist societies are less outspoken about science in daily life, whereas lower education is associated with higher outspokenness. Limited access to digital media is correlated with participation in public protests on science matters. We discuss implications for future research, policy, and practice.

AB - This 68-country survey ( n = 71,922) examines science information diets and communication behavior, identifies cross-country differences, and tests how such differences are associated with sociopolitical and economic conditions. We find that social media are the most used sources of science information in most countries, except those with democratic-corporatist media systems where news media tend to be used more widely. People in collectivist societies are less outspoken about science in daily life, whereas lower education is associated with higher outspokenness. Limited access to digital media is correlated with participation in public protests on science matters. We discuss implications for future research, policy, and practice.

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/368d79af-3f91-3a0a-b473-326118a77abe/

U2 - 10.1177/10755470251376615

DO - 10.1177/10755470251376615

M3 - Journal articles

SN - 1075-5470

JO - Science Communication

JF - Science Communication

ER -

Public Communication about Science in 68 Countries: Global Evidence on How People Encounter and Engage with Information about Science

Abstract

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