Public Still Largely Positive About the Contribution of Science to Society, But Uptick in Negative Views % of U.S. people adults saying science has made life leasier or more difficult.for most people More difficult % of USS adults saying effectof science negative on the quality of Feach area in the US has been mostly positive or negative
Overall the American public tends to see the effects of science on society in a positive light. Fully 79% of citizens say that science has made life easier for most people, while just 15% say it has made life more difficult. However, the balance of opinion is slightly less positive today than in 2009 when positive views outpaced negative ones by a margin of 83% to 10%.
Similarly, a majority of adults says the effect of science on the quality of U.S. health care, food and the environment is mostly positive as was also the case in 2009. The share saying that science has had a negative effect in each area has increased slightly. For example, 79% of adults say that science has had a positive effect on the quality of health care, down from 85% in 2009 while negative views have ticked up from 10% in 2009 to 18% today.
Public Still Largely Positive About the Contribution  | of Science to Society, But Uptick in Negative Views  | % of U.S. people adults saying science has made life leasier or more difficult.for  | most people  | More difficult  | Easier  | Life for most  | 2014  | 15  | 79  | people  | 2009  | 10  | 83  | % of USS adults saying effectof science negative on the quality of Feach area in the  | US has been mostly positive or negative  | Mostly negative  | Mostly positive  | 79  | 2014  | 18  | Health care  | 2009  | 10  | 85  | 2014 34  | 62  | Food  | 2009  | 24  | 2014  | 31  | 62  | The environment  | 2009  | 23  | 66  | Survey ofU.S. 2009. adults August15-25 2014 Q4 5a-c. volunteering Compa rison with survey conducted April  | Survey 28 May ofU.S. 12. 2009. adults Those August15-25 saying don 2014 tknow Q4 or 5a-c. volunteering Compa rison no effectare survey notshown. conducted  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 