Document Type
Senior Thesis
Publication Date
5-31-2021
Abstract
In the last few decades of our history, strong sentiments of anti-intellectualism and distrust in scientific authority have developed and spread throughout American society. Recently, the outward displays of denial and distrust surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change have demonstrated just how pervasive these views are becoming. This study looked at public opinion on a variety of anti-intellectual views among the American public. The main question this research was attempting to answer is what are the political and social correlates of anti-intellectualism? The data I used to test this question was the 2021 Chapman University Survey on American Fears. I looked specifically at questions within the survey that address public stances on climate change, vaccinations, and mask wearing (during the COVID-19 pandemic) along with the demographic characteristics of each response group. After running a variety of tests for each question to check for any correlations between the level of fear expressed and demographics, I found support for which social and political categories are more likely to subscribe to anti-intellectual beliefs like climate change denial, anti-vax, and anti-mask.
Recommended Citation
Hill, Naomi, "Anti-Intellectualism and American Fears: An Analysis of Social and Political Factors that Influence Distrust in Scientific Authority" (2021). Political Science Student Papers and Posters. 9.
https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/polisci_student_work/9
Copyright
The author
Included in
American Politics Commons, Community-Based Research Commons, Medicine and Health Commons, Other Political Science Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons, Social Psychology and Interaction Commons, Sociology of Culture Commons
Comments
This scholarship is part of the Chapman University COVID-19 Archives.