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Jack,
In response to your question, see the following quote from the National Science Board Science & Engineering Indicators 2006 (Vol 1):
"The 2004 Michigan Survey of Consumer Attitudes administered two different versions of these questions to different groups of respondents. Some were asked questions that tested knowledge about the natural world ("human beings, as we know them today, developed from earlier species of animals" and "the universe began with a big explosion"). Others were asked questions that tested knowledge about what a scientific theory asserts or a group of scientists believes ("according to the theory of evolution, human beings, as we know them today, developed from earlier species of animals" and "according to astronomers, the universe began with a big explosion"). Respondents were much more likely to answer correctly if the question was framed as about scientific theories or beliefs rather than as about the natural world. When the question about evolution was prefaced by "according to the theory of evolution," 74% marked true; only 44% marked true when it was not. Similarly, 62% agreed with the prefaced question about the big bang, but only 35% agreed when the prefatory phrase was omitted. These differences probably indicate that many Americans hold religious beliefs that cause them to be skeptical of established scientific ideas, even when they have some basic familiarity with those ideas."
I did a quick search in the most recent version of this report (see http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind10/start.htm) but couldn't find updated info. That said, it's a huge document and it may be buried.
Everything best,
Jamie
--
________________________________
J A M I E A L O N Z O
Coordinator, Education Special Projects
Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History
203 432 6577 v
203 432 2026 f
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From: Jack W Cannon <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: Informal Science Education Network <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2011 11:09:46 -0500
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Creationists as proponents of academic freedom
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
I am intrigued by the suppositions that a significant percentage of people
who accept that evolution happened don't actually understand it. Of course,
there are varying degrees of understanding and I am sure that the average
person on the street may not be aware of the evolving beaks of Darwin's
finches or that there are finger bones in whale flippers but does that mean
that they don't understand the process of evolution? Could someone
extrapolate a little on the distinction between acceptance of evolution and
understanding it?
Thank You,
Jack Cannon
-----Original Message-----
From: Jennie Dusheck
Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2011 7:13 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Creationists as proponents of academic freedom
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
*****************************************************************************
At 3:19 PM -0800 3/1/11, Charlie Carlson wrote:
> > In the 40% or so of Americans who accept evolution I'd shutter to read
> some of their explanations. Maybe they'd tend towards acceptance but
> probably not understanding.
I have read a good many of them, and it's my opinion that a large
fraction of people who accept that evolution happened (and will argue
with creationists about it) don't understand it and don't know they
don't understand it. Evolution is at least partly a shibboleth that
serves as a marker for education and political views.
I'm not in a position to criticize though, because I don't really
understand the rationale for most modern cosmology and a lot of other
things. I know bridges stand up, but do I really know why? Probably
not.
In contrast, the middle 60% who say they aren't sure whether
evolution is right, freely admit they don't understand it. I'm
tempted to think they are a good audience to target for education
programs about evolution.
Jennie Dusheck
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