In this episode
The topic of trust is everywhere, from research and science to the public discourse. Some politicians claim that the public has had enough of experts, but current polls show the opposite: trust in scientific expertise is higher than trust in politicians. From research conducted in the UK and across the world, we know that trust matters.
In this podcast, Dr Gabriela Jiga-Boy in discussion with host Dr Sam Blaxland explore some important questions: What happens to people’s trust in experts when politicians polarise scientific facts? What happens to people’s trust in facts when new information challenges previous beliefs? For example, when COVID-19 was initially believed to be spread via surfaces, we were advised to wash our hands and disinfect surfaces. Later we found out COVID-19 is an airborne virus, hence were advised that using quality masks indoors were more important than disinfecting surfaces.
Dr Jiga-Boy also examines whether politicians incorporate trust into their decision-making processes. Do they trust the public to comply with policies, particularly when they clearly benefit society but come at a high personal cost? Conversely how much does the public feel trusted by those in government?
