We conduct annual attitude surveys to learn how the Swedish public views science, research and researchers. On this page, you can read about these surveys and our other studies investigating public attitudes.
Researchers’ Night, Stockholm 2018.
Our annual attitude surveys are conducted in two different ways:
The VA Barometer has been conducted annually since 2002 through telephone interviews with a sample of individuals representing the Swedish public aged 16-74, in cooperation with Exquiro market research company.
As part of the National SOM surveys, postal questionnaires are sent to a representative sample of 3,000 Swedish individuals aged 16-85 years living in Sweden. This Science in Society-survey has been conducted by VA in cooperation with the SOM Institute, (Society, Opinion, Mass Media) at Gothenburg University since 2002.
Other studies:
Communication about Corona is investigating media reporting and public trust during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.
In the following articles and summaries you will find summarised results from the surveys:
Researchers are perceived as more in agreement when it comes to their views on how the corona pandemic is being handled in Sweden. The tone of news reporting on the coronavirus is perceived as more alarmist than in February. These are some of the latest findings of a study being conducted by the non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science) to investigate communication about the coronavirus in Sweden.
Confidence in government officials who comment on the coronavirus is at its lowest level since the start of the pandemic. Journalists are perceived to be less in agreement than previously when it comes to their views on how the pandemic is being handled. These are some of the latest findings of a study being conducted by the non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science) to investigate communication about the coronavirus in Sweden.
Swedish Television (SVT) remains the most common and trustworthy news source about the coronavirus for Swedes. Healthcare professionals are the professional group that Swedes have the most confidence in. These are some of the latest findings of a study being conducted by the non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science) to investigate communication about the coronavirus in Sweden.
Swedes’ confidence in both research and researchers has increased. Nine out of ten Swedes have high confidence in researchers, while just under half have the similar level of confidence in news journalists. These are some of the findings from this year’s annual VA Barometer conducted by the Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science).
Prior to Christmas 2020, new restrictions were introduced in Sweden to reduce the spread of infection. At the same time, there was a decline in the public’s confidence in politicians, who were also perceived to be less in agreement about how the pandemic is being handled, than previously. These are two of the latest findings of a study being conducted by the non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science) to investigate communication about the coronavirus in Sweden.
Confidence in politicians is rising in Sweden following the new restrictions introduced by the Swedish government. The media’s reporting on the pandemic is perceived to be more hyped and alarmist. These are some of the latest findings of astudy being conducted by the non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science) to investigate communication about the coronavirus in Sweden.
In mid-October, the spread of the coronavirus began to increase again in Sweden after being fairly constant during the late summer and autumn. Parallel to the rising infection rate, Swedes consumption of news plus confidence in the media coverage also increased. These are the latest findings of a study being conducted by the Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science).
The news media are still Swedes’ primary source of information about the coronavirus, but fewer young people are accessing any information at all. Researchers are perceived to be more in agreement in their views on how Sweden is handling the pandemic. These are the latest findings of a study being conducted by the Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science).
Researchers are perceived to be less in agreement in their views on how the corona pandemic is being handled in Sweden. Confidence in various professional groups, however, has not changed since July, nor has Swedes’ consumption and perceptions of the media’s reporting on the coronavirus. These are the latest findings of a study being conducted by the Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science).
