Citizens' support for government spending on science and technology

Abstract

This paper analyses public support for government spending on science and technology (S&T) and its determinants. It constructs hypotheses based on previous findings from two streams of research: public preferences for government spending and public understanding of science. Using data from a large national survey in Spain, it develops multivariate models to test the relevance of various predictors of public support for government spending on S&T. Findings identify several variables that are clear and consistent predictors of public support for government spending on S&T: the respondent¿s educational level, interest and participation in science, knowledge of science, and positive values and views of S&T. However, the effects of other variables also related to general attitudes towards science are less clearly associated with support for government spending on S&T.