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 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).
Swedes perceive the tone of reporting on the coronavirus in the media as less hyped/alarmist than they did prior to the summer. Public confidence in the media is decreasing but has strengthened for government officials. These are the latest findings of a study on reporting of the coronavirus in the Swedish media being conducted by the Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science).
A decreasing proportion of Swedes think that the media’s reporting on the coronavirus provides them with the information they need. Politicians who comment on the virus are perceived to be less in agreement than previously. These are the latest findings of a study being conducted by the Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science).
The Swedish public continues to have a high level of confidence in universities and researchers. At the same time, there are clear signs of an ongoing polarisation, with a widening divide in confidence between different population groups. These are the findings presented in a new report by the Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science).
After a significant increase in April, the Swedish public’s confidence in government officials is now back at the same level as it was in March. Swedish Television (SVT) remains the media channel that most Swedes access for news about the coronavirus. These are the latest findings of a study being conducted by the Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science).
The Swedish public’s confidence in politicians who comment about coronavirus in the news is decreasing. Both researchers and politicians are perceived to be less in agreement about Sweden’s handling of the pandemic than in the previous month. These are the latest findings of a study being conducted by the Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science).
The tone of reporting on the coronavirus in Swedish news media is perceived by the Swedish public to be less alarmist now than it was a month ago. Swedes continue to have a high level of confidence in healthcare professionals, researchers and government officials. These are the latest findings of a study being conducted by the Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science).
The Swedish public’s confidence in government officials, who provide comment in the media about the coronavirus, has risen in recent weeks. When it comes to media coverage of the pandemic, the Swedes have the greatest confidence in public service broadcasters – Swedish Television (SVT) and Sveriges Radio. These are the latest findings of a study being conducted by the Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science).
For three out of four Swedes, the news media is their primary source of information about the new coronavirus. In terms of the visibility of different professional groups in the media coverage, Swedes have the highest confidence in doctors and researchers, while there is a lower level of confidence in government officials. These are the findings of a new survey undertaken by the Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science).
The Swedish non-profit organisation VA (Public & Science) has launched a study to understand how people in Sweden are receiving and interpreting information about the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The project will include a number of surveys to measure public attitudes combined with studies of the actual media reporting. We invite other organisations to collaborate in the study, and are interested in hearing from those undertaking similar studies in other countries. The study is taking place during spring 2020.
