Public Attitudes about Science and Scientists are also surveyed in the National Science Board 2018 report. The surveys are from 2016.
For Spending for Scientific Research, 45% thought that it was about right, 38% thought it was too little, and only 11% thought that it was too much.
They surveyed Public Attitudes toward Spending in various policy areas.
Education was 72% for too little, 20% were about right, and 6% was too much.
Environment was 63% for too little, 27% were about right, and 8% were too much.
Health was 62% for too little, 23% was about right, and 12% was too much.
Alternative energy was 54% for too little, 34% was about right, and 8% was too much.
National defense research was 36% for too little, 34% for about right, and 26% was too much.
Space Exploration came up next to last, and last was Assistance to Other Countries. Space exploration was too little at 21%, about right at 45%, and too much at 25%. Don’t know was 9%.
Public Confidence in Institutional Leaders was highest for the Military, with 53% a great deal, 39% some, and 8% hardly any.
Public Confidence in Institutional Leaders for the Scientific Community was 40% for a great deal, 50% for some, and only 6% for hardly any.
Public confidence for Medicine was 35% for a great deal, 50% some, and 13% hardly any.
Education confidence was 26% for a great deal, 57% for some, and 17% for hardly any, a relatively large amount.
The three categories at the bottom were Television, the Press, and Congress. This poll still might have been before the election in 2016.
