Understanding Predictors of Trust in Science Among University Students: Examining Scientific Reasoning, Cognitive Reflection, Education, and Personal Experiences with the Scientific Community
Abstract
The present study examines how cognitive, socioeconomic and experiential factors, specifically scientific reasoning, cognitive reflection, education of participants and their parents, and personal experiences with the scientific community, relate to trust in science among university students. In addition, the study examines which of the aforementioned factors predict trust in science in a sample of university students. A questionnaire was administered to 150 Slovak university students. Correlational analysis revealed a positive relationship between trust in science and scientific reasoning. Moreover, trust in science was positively related to parents’ highest level of education but negatively to the length of participants’ university study. In addition, we found a positive relationship between trust in science and personal experiences with the scientific community. However, regression analysis revealed that personal experiences with the scientific community was the only significant predictor of trust in science. The results suggest that creating more opportunities for positive experiences with the scientific community could contribute to enhancing trust in science among university students, although the proposed causal link needs to be verified.
Funding source: Slovak Research and Development Agency
Award Identifier / Grant number: VV-MVP-24-0053
Funding source: The scientific grant agency of the The Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic
Award Identifier / Grant number: VEGA 2/0020/25
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Conflict of interest: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
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Research funding: The study was supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency as part of the research project VV-MVP-24-0053 “Across dividing lines: Identifying the interpersonal, group, and socio-cultural causes of unfounded beliefs and preventing their negative outcomes” and by the scientific grant agency of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic as part of the project VEGA 2/0020/25 “Social and psychological causes and consequences of belief in epistemically suspect claims”.
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Supplementary Material
This article contains supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/humaff-2025-0015).
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Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Research Articles
- The Four Causes Revisited: A Scholastic Framework for Analyzing Human Affairs
- A Qualitative Longitudinal Study on the Adaptation and Coping Strategies of Men with Testicular Cancer
- The Review of Female’s Intrasexual Competition of Birth and Motherhood in Digital Media
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- The Journey of Interest: Philosophical and Ethical Development from Ancient Rejection to the Modern Financial Crisis
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- Understanding Predictors of Trust in Science Among University Students: Examining Scientific Reasoning, Cognitive Reflection, Education, and Personal Experiences with the Scientific Community
- The Moderating Role of Gender in Perceived Discrimination Levels and Political Participation of Turkish Women