SCC 2012 Walk a mile in their shoes: engaging different demographics

Version 1 | Public

Walk a mile in their shoes:
engaging different segments
Sarah Castell and Jayesh Navin Shah May 2012

© Ipsos MORI Version 1 | Public

Some background

• Last year, we presented findings from the Public Attitudes to
Science (PAS) 2011 study
• The study included a quantitative segmentation, grouping together
members of the public that tend to have similar attitudes to science
• Last year’s session offered a brief description of the six segments,
among other PAS 2011 findings
• Delegates wanted a more thorough exploration of how they might
tailor engagement activities to these six segments


Three things for today

1. In-depth presentation of the six segments, and
potential approaches for engaging them
• c.20-minute presentation
• c.3-minute vox pops video
2. Generate ideas for how to overcome your own science
communication challenges
3. Discuss how to detect the impact of engagement
activities among specific segments


What do we mean by “segments”?

Based on a quantitative
segmentation model, so …

Tendencies rather than
certainties when grouping
people
Previous PAS studies
have consistently
Our interpretations of an identified similar
objective statistical analysis segments, so these
are enduring groups
in the UK public …
Segments have overall
defining characteristics, but … so how do we use this
a range of views in each segmentation?


The six segments
Who are they and what are their views?


We know how interested and engaged they are in science …

informed about
science (net score) Confident Engagers

Distrustful Engagers
Late Adopters
Potential low-
hanging fruit
agree it‟s
The Indifferent important to
know about
science in daily
The Concerned lives (net score)

Hardest to
engage
Disengaged Sceptics
… but we need
to know more
Base: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+
Fieldwork dates: 11 October-19 December 2010


Confident Engagers are strongly positive about the role of
science in society, and already feel sufficiently engaged

“Yes [psychology is a
science]. Because of
things like Pavlov‟s
experiments, you can
show how things work
by methods.”
PAS 2011 participant
Tend to be affluent
(ABC1s), have a higher
education and aged 35-44

• Were enthusiastic about science at school
• Relatively close proximity to science in their lives,
either through work, or friends and family
• Often go to all sorts of museums, galleries and
festivals More likely to read
broadsheets, use
• Sceptical about health and science claims made in social media and
adverts and in the media read science blogs


Distrustful Engagers think science benefits society, but are less
trusting of scientists and less confident of regulation

“Unfortunately, there are so many
things which come up in media
where things have been handled
wrongly. I think the NHS is in a bit
of a mess, so I would not fully trust
that everything would be used in
the correct way.”
Tend to be men, generally
without children, affluent HTA stakeholder evaluation (2007)
(ABC1s), with a higher
education, and aged 55+
• More cynical about the intentions of private
companies and government, and think the
public should have more say
• Tend to think of scientists as introverts,
working behind closed doors
Tend to read right-leaning
• Often sports fans, more likely to attend live newspapers, but also more likely
sports events to read science magazines


Late Adopters did not enjoy science at school, but now take a
strong interest, based on environmental and ethical concerns

“[Carbon Dioxide Removal
options] are natural
processes, so less likely to
have unintended
consequences on
ecosystems.”
Tend to be women, often
parents generally young, Experiment Earth (2010)
aged 16-34, many with an arts
or humanities background

• Take a broad view of what constitutes
science (e.g. CSI as a science-based show)
• Engage with news stories and activities that
relate back to their environmental and
ethical concerns (e.g. going to the zoo)
• Would like to hear more scientists discuss the More likely to download or stream
social and ethical implications of their work programmes or video clips, and to
visit social networking websites


The Concerned distinguish themselves through a more religious
or spiritual outlook on life, which informs their views on science

“It shouldn‟t be done because
once you start you can‟t stop
or control it … The
consequences would leak out
somewhere.”
More likely to be women,
from younger age groups Public dialogue into Animals
aged 16-34, less affluent Containing Human Materials
(C2DEs) and from ethnic (2010)
minority backgrounds
• Often less convinced about established
science (e.g. on climate change or vaccination)
• Not sure what the economic benefits of
science are
• Think religion and faith should play a stronger More likely to read
role in society than they currently do tabloids, and less
likely to read any
• Tend to have faith that the government is Sunday newspaper
generally doing the right thing


The Indifferent do not feel informed about science, but are not
especially interested or concerned either

“You always hear these things
without always knowing what they
are. It‟s „medical‟, but that‟s about
as far as I‟ve actually thought about
it. It‟s like „cells‟, you often read
things without fully understanding
what it is anyway.”
Tend to be older people HTA stakeholder evaluation (2007)
and retired, often less
affluent (C2DEs)

• Generally tend not to be interested in new
challenges or learning new skills
• Generally don‟t go to museums or
galleries
• Are put off by technical terms and jargon Least likely to have internet
access, so television and
• Don‟t think there is much they can change newspapers are important,
with the way things are run especially tabloids


Disengaged Sceptics were put off science at school, and today
they find it overwhelming

“It‟s no use talking to us about
CO2 emissions and expecting
us to change our behaviour
instantly. A tonne of carbon,
what does that even look like! I
want to know what‟s going to
More likely to be happen around here.”
women, less affluent
(C2DEs), and with no The Big Energy Shift (2009)
formal qualifications
• Think things like science and the economy are too
complex for them to understand
• Take a conservative attitude towards science
and health regulation
• Don’t want personal involvement, but want to More likely to read
know the Government is listening to the public tabloids, and less
• But will engage with news stories if there is a non- likely to have
science narrative that interests them internet access


So do these groups of people really exist?

• This short video was taken with members of the general public who
attended our PAS discussion groups in London in February 2011

To view this video, please go to
the BIS YouTube channel at
http://www.youtube.com/user/bis
govuk#p/a/u/0/DW61a3ni4Xc


But remember, people don‟t travel around as segments!

More likely than average to attend a science-related activity (e.g. science
museum) with …
Distrustful Engager, Indifferent, tend not to
alone do science activities

Late Adopter, with
son or daughter
The Concerned,
with friends
Disengaged Sceptic,
no tendencies
Confident Engager,
alone or with friends


Some of our ideas on how you might engage these groups

Dispel myths about
CONFIDENT ENGAGERS scientists – show they
work in teams and have
to be creative

DISTRUSTFUL ENGAGERS

LATE ADOPTERS

Not just about the “science” –
some may respond more to the
THE CONCERNED social and ethical implications
(e.g. of climate change)

THE INDIFFERENT the intentions of
What are
scientists in areas such as
stem cell research, and how
will this benefit people?
DISENGAGED SCEPTICS


Some of our ideas on how you might engage these groups

CONFIDENT ENGAGERS

DISTRUSTFUL ENGAGERS segment be
Could this
science ambassadors to
the other segments?

LATE ADOPTERS
“Before, science was the
Bunsen Burner, nothing
else, and then I thought,
Demystifying science –
THE CONCERNED it‟s everything –
anyone can do science gardening, food, glasses!”
PAS 2011 participant
THE INDIFFERENT Both these segments
respond best when
science isn‟t isolated,
but a part of culture, and
related to the things they
DISENGAGED SCEPTICS do in their daily lives


Version 1 | Public

Thanks and now for your ideas!
sarah.castell@ipsos.com
jayesh.shah@ipsos.com


In your breakout groups …

1. Familiarise yourself with the segment on your table
2. Share your communications challenge with others on your table
3. Group discussions
• What in life really matters to this segment?
• How can you use the things that matter to involve them with your issue?
• How would you use media channels, messages, events, activities, within
your budget?
• What does success look like? What will the segment do or think
differently as a result of your action?
• Prepare to present back your top three insights to the group


Distrustful Engagers – what do they think of science?

% All UK adults aged 16+ agreeing School put me off science
% Distrustful Engagers agreeing
Public consultation events
are just public relations It is important to know about
events and don‟t make any 85% science in my daily life
difference to policy 71%

67%
51% 24%
In general, scientists want to 88% On the whole, science will
make life better for the 82% make our lives easier
average person 72% 12% 80%

40% 37%

The speed of development in 50% 58%
science and technology 54% 49% The science I learnt at school
means they cannot properly has been useful in my job
be controlled by government
63% 59%

Rules will not stop scientists Finding out about new
doing what they want behind scientific developments is
closed doors easy these days
Bases: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+; 260 Distrustful Engagers


Distrustful Engagers – what kinds of things would they say?

“I‟m sometimes sceptical of “Unfortunately, there are so many
peer review. Don‟t we tend to things which come up in media
look after our own? Sometimes where things have been handled
we‟re very critical, but doctors wrongly. I think the NHS is in a bit
tend to be a closed circle and if of a mess, so I would not fully trust
one makes an error they … that everything would be used in
cover up and protect their own.” the correct way.”
Public Attitudes to Science 2011 HTA stakeholder evaluation (2007)

“As far as I'm concerned,
“In the current political [my medical information] is
climate is your research stored in a general office
biased in favour of area, accessible by every
things to support single member of staff who
climate change?” works in the surgery.”
Experiment Earth (2010) Use of Medical Records in
Medical Research (2006)

Late Adopters – what do they think of science?

% All UK adults aged 16+ agreeing School put me off science
% Late Adopters agreeing
Human activity does have a The science I learnt at school
significant effect on the has not been useful in my
climate everyday life
91% 74%
40%
52%
24%

36%

44%
Scientists should be 68% 68% 77%
rewarded for communicating It is important to know about
their work to the public science in my daily life

65%
82%

I want scientists to spend 81% 86%Science is such a big part of
more time discussing the our lives that we should all
social and ethical take an interest
implications of their work
Bases: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+; 392 Late Adopters


Late Adopters – what kinds of things would they say?

“Science and the arts “[Carbon Dioxide Removal
are both creative in options] are natural
different ways. processes, so less likely to
Leonardo da Vinci did have unintended
science and arts.” consequences on
Public Attitudes to ecosystems.”
Science 2011 Experiment Earth (2010)

“A human would express “With the weather in our
pain in an experiment. Why own country, the tsunami,
should an animal go in Chile and the amount of
through what a human isn‟t pollution in China, we
prepared to go through?” know something is
Animals Containing Human happening.”
Materials dialogue (2010) Experiment Earth (2010)


The Concerned – what do they think of science?

% All UK adults aged 16+ agreeing Human beings have evolved
% Concerned agreeing from other animals

Government funding for 68%
science should be cut We depend too much on
because the money can be science and not enough on
52% faith
better spent elsewhere
45%
25%
Scientists should listen more 74% 29%
The more I know about
science, the more worried I
to what ordinary people think am
66% 15% 33%
24%

41%
Scientists seem to be trying 47% 62%
new things without stopping 40% Jobs in science are very
to think about the 68% interesting
consequences 56%
48%
The speed of development in 71%
science and technology People shouldn‟t tamper with
means they cannot properly nature
be controlled by government
Bases: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+; 490 Concerned


The Concerned – what kinds of things would they say?

“Technology makes people “The risks are exploitation,
lose jobs. Machinery is manipulation, it being used for
more efficient, so you don‟t the wrong purposes, but we‟re
need people, so you have always seeing the goalposts,
job cuts.” or the line of what‟s
acceptable, being pushed
Public Attitudes to Science further and further.”
2011
HTA stakeholder evaluation
(2007)

“It shouldn‟t be done
because once you start you
can‟t stop or control it … The “Half the world is starving –
consequences would leak all this should be
out somewhere.” addressed before we take
this further.”
Animals Containing Human
Materials dialogue (2010) Animals Containing Human
Materials dialogue (2010)


The Indifferent – what do they think of science?

% All UK adults aged 16+ agreeing I enjoy new situations and
% Indifferent agreeing challenges

Public consultation events 81%
are just public relations 89%It ison learningfor me to keep
important
events and don‟t make any new skills
difference to policy
61% 48% 63%

I don‟t think I‟m clever 51%
enough to understand it is important to know about
science and technology 46% 68% science in my daily life
32% 40%
25%
33%
77% 46%
It‟s normal for scientists to Science is such a big part of
84% our lives that we should all
disagree take an interest
63%
57%
71%
Science and technology are The UK is too small to make
too specialised for most an impact on climate change
people to understand them
Bases: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+; 389 Indifferent


The Indifferent – what kinds of things would they say?

“I only know what‟s presented
to me. Maybe TV “You always hear these things
advertisements or magazines – without always knowing what they
things that we look at … are. It‟s „medical‟, but that‟s about
[Science] is the part of the as far as I‟ve actually thought about
newspaper that we skip it. It‟s like „cells‟, you often read
normally.” things without fully understanding
what it is anyway.”
Public Attitudes to Science 2011
HTA stakeholder evaluation (2007)

“It‟s difficult to know “That nanotechnology
what we can do [to stuff, the vivisection, I
mitigate climate change] don‟t understand that. It‟s
in our little way.” so confusing, all these
atoms and molecules.”
Experiment Earth (2010)
Public Attitudes to
Science 2011


Disengaged Sceptics – what do they think of science?

% All UK adults aged 16+ agreeing I don't think I'm clever
enough to understand
% Disengaged Sceptics agreeing science and technology
Public consultation events I cannot follow developments
are just public relations in science and technology
events and don‟t make any 82% because the speed of
difference to policy 58% development is too fast

72% 32% 43%
Government should delay There is so much conflicting
new medicines or 90% information about science it
technologies until scientists 79% is difficult to know what to
are completely certain there 73% believe
are no bad side effects 22% 71%

54%
40%
81%
Rules will not stop scientists 70% I enjoy new situations and
doing what they want behind challenges
closed doors 92%
49%
89%
The speed of development in
science and technology 96% It is important for me to keep
means they cannot properly on learning new skills
be controlled by Government
Bases: 2,103 UK adults aged 16+; 269 Disengaged Sceptics


Disengaged Sceptics – what kinds of things would they say?

“It was quite interesting to have
taken part in something like this, “It‟s no use talking to us about
especially if you‟ve got a CO2 emissions and expecting
background where you don‟t know us to change our behaviour
much about science. It‟s made me instantly. A tonne of carbon,
more aware of … the world that‟s what does that even look like! I
behind the scenes working on want to know what‟s going to
curing diseases.” happen around here.”
Animals Containing Human The Big Energy Shift (2009)
Materials dialogue (2010)

“The graph showed 100
“I wouldn‟t have parts per million in 200
connected science years, and a 1°C increase in
to all these areas.” temperature. How will it
Public Attitudes to affect us? Should we really
Science 2011 be concerned about 2°C?”
Experiment Earth (2010)

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