Public perception of science of undergraduate students from the state of São Paulo: a study through the perspective of biotechnology

Abstract

The association between scientific knowledge and attitudes toward science has historical, social and political implications. Therefore, it becomes essential to assess public attitudes in face of science as these relate to the changing context of scientific practices and their implications on practical and social problems. Thus, this paper presents results of a survey developed from a mixed approach, which evaluated the public perception of science and attitudes in face of the scientific and technological development, from the perspective of biotechnology, in a public composed of undergraduate students from different places of São Paulo State, in Brasil. The results obtained by confirmatory factor analysis are indicators that show that the conceptions that people have about science directly and positively influences their attitudes to science.