The Young People Attitude To Scientific Activities In The Information Society

Literature review

In the 21st century, the role of scientists in society acquires a dual character, combining a teacher and a mediator, which entails the parallel development of two types of scientific communication: the popularization of science itself (reconstruction of theories, projects, implementations for the public) and the conduct of a metadiscourse related to science policy, financial support, professional community perspectives, case studies and experiments (Peters, 2014).

The role of engineering knowledge is associated with the completion of technologies to their specific implementation in production (Patalas-Maliszewska, Śliwa, & Kłos, 2019) is fraught with risk, based on the intuition of experts and their creative search. The need for sound forecasts and willingness to bear responsibility are becoming an integral part of the modern engineering field. This stimulates interest in identifying new aspects of the communicative field, formed by the dialogue of scientists, engineers, and other specialists, and contributes to the formation of new social systems. According to Yanitsky (2019), the main direction of social dynamics and its scientific and technical tools is hybridization, which is a "fusion" of different-quality agents, structures and processes of social action, and is embodied in socio-biotechnical systems (p. 16).

Modern society is characterized by a demand for clearer contours of development prospects in the context of information and technological growth, which leads to a revision of the science role in the modern world. In this regard, the problem of trust in science is becoming relevant, affecting the specifics of the non-linear processes that are taking place, the emergence of new phenomena that encourage the revision of scientific concepts (Zborovsky & Ambarova, 2019, p.180). Along with this, false knowledge is spreading, manipulating the opinions of citizens in social networks, which to some extent is a consequence of the dispersion of knowledge and poses the problem of the actors' unwillingness to respond adequately to changing reality (Zarubina, 2017).

The high competition of various theories and technologies, claiming to solve global and socially significant problems, strengthens the role of expert knowledge and the responsibility of scientists (Polyakova, 2009; Sierra-Alonso, 2000). Experts act as carriers of the norm, they work as a filter that separates science from "non-science", "useful" science from "useless". Schütz (2004) identified three ideal types: "expert," "layman," and "well-informed citizen" (p. 572). Today, the range of roles of the expert knowledge carrier is expanding significantly, but the expert is only one who is socially approved in this capacity. A well-informed citizen is in the intermediate area between the expert and the layman. He can form an informed opinion as a result of the search and processing of large amounts of information. This increases his chances of participating in expert activities, the range of which is expanding. The need for expertise arises in the process of making responsible decisions, associated with their possible consequences, many factors of influence on the process of innovation. At the moment, there is a transition to a "decisionist" model of relationships, in which scientists and experts are responsible for their decisions and proposals, and politicians for setting goals and making these decisions. The decisionist model supports the expert's high status, his inclusion in politics and social communications.

The study results of students' attitudes to scientific activity

In 2017, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University conducted a sociological survey on the topic "Scientist through the eyes of students" (random sample of 256 students, online questionnaire survey method) (Razinkina, 2017). The survey showed that polytechnic students are ambivalent about the prestige of a scientist in society: 37% say prestige, while 46% deny prestige. Only 18% would like to devote their lives to science at all, while 53% would not do this (29% had difficulty answering).

The associative series with "science" was led by concepts: "progress", "knowledge", "scientist". The general mood of students was characterized by the answers to the question of whether young people should be involved in science: 84% of students are sure that this should be done. And almost as many respondents (83%) indicated that they are actively participating in the university's scientific activities. Among them (34% of respondents) have their scientific publications, and 24% answered that they intend to engage in scientific work in their specialty.

The students' view of the problem of their attitude to technological progress, revealed during an interview with students of SPbPU (March 2019, 134 students) is indicative. When asked whether the problem of the technological future is relevant, 75% of students answered positively against 13% who expressed the opposite opinion.

The optimism of students regarding technological progress was shown by the following answers:

• I believe in technological progress - 30%

• I believe in technological progress in certain areas - 38%

• I believe, but I doubt that technological progress will solve the "sick problems" of society - 22%

• Progress is objective, but it carries huge losses and serious consequences - 6%

• I do not believe - 1%

• Difficult to answer - 3%.

To the question of whether students trust modern engineering and technology, the following assessments were obtained (Table 01 ):

It turned out that the same proportion of students (37%) had a normal attitude to new technologies, but they were worried about the possible crowding out of people at workplaces by robots. Doubt on this issue was expressed by 18% of students, and 7% are ready to fight to prevent this. Thus, a rather alarming attitude of students towards the future was revealed against the background of faith in technological progress.

In September 2019, among the junior students (1st and 2nd year) of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (random sample, 411 people), an interview was conducted to identify intentions to engage in science and research. The scatter of responses expressing students' intentions is presented in Table 02 :

The data obtained reflect the students' interest in science, as well as the balanced attitude of students to scientific activity related to the problem of the remuneration of scientists and researchers, as well as the speed of implementation of the R&D. The readiness of a third of students to be included in science is also indicative.

Comparative analysis of student survey data in other Russian universities

The attitude of students towards science and scientific work, as well as the prospects for students to enter the professional world of science, were previously studied by sociologists among MSU students (Yurasova & Sudas, 2005). The intention to engage in scientific work was shown by 47% of students, and the absence of such - 40% of students.

Researchers were interested in the question of whether the image of a scientist with a set of characteristics that follows the principles established by R. Merton in an activity is a guide for students. Sociologists made the following conclusion: the developing Merton model continues to act as a guide. So, in the views of MSU students, science is associated with research, knowledge, discoveries, cognition, as well as with progress, development, and technology. Education also takes its place in a series of associations. Students note a drop in the level of education in society as a general trend (13.4% of respondents). The ideal image of a scientist is made up of characteristics: immersion in science (32.5%), versatility (14%) and broad horizons (12%), intelligence (13%), as well as the ability to be ahead of others (17%), interest in own business (12%), high qualification and financial security (10.8% each). It is noteworthy that the scientist is seen by students not only immersed in science and divorced from life, but real, able to secure their rightful place in the modern world (Yurasova & Sudas, 2005, p. 80).

In many ways, similar estimates were obtained by sociologists of the Nizhny Novgorod State University, who in 2013 surveyed students. For university students, a scientist is, first of all, a smart and extraordinary person, behind whose back there is a lot of knowledge and experience. This scientist has self-confidence and creativity, is endowed with wit and a sense of humor, demonstrates an understanding of another point, which increases his attractiveness as an interlocutor (Shorygin, 2014). Most students believe that the profession of a scientist requires high qualifications (85%) and allows you to realize yourself and your ideas (76%). The applied and heuristic potential of science as a profession is seen by 70% of young people, and the high status of science as a profession in the eyes of UNN students is undermined mainly by its low funding. Those who consider the profession of a scientist as prestigious make up 35%, and highly paid - 23%. Moreover, in senior years, the opinion on the prestige of the scientist profession is becoming more common among students. However, according to this study, most of the respondents are negative concerning the continuation of scientific activity after undergoing training at a university (Shorygin, 2014, p. 48). Entry into the practical sphere of science by young people is characterized by a low percentage of interest. So, about 15% of young specialists named science, higher education and IT as their most preferred occupation (Gvozdeva & Gvozdeva, 2018, p. 121). The gap between the motivation of young people and their actual employment in these areas suggests that government institutions are not ready to stimulate them effectively.

Comparative analysis of the public trust level in science

The general situation in Russia with public trust in science and expert knowledge is very contradictory, which has already been noted for a noticeable period by Russian monitoring centres. Confidence in science is manifested through a positive attitude towards it, a pronounced interest in scientific knowledge and its products, as well as a willingness to follow the recommendations of scientists and implement the results of scientific research (Kravchenko, Noskova, & Temnitsky, 2018, p. 95). For the general public, the broad coverage of scientific results and their implementation in public life remains the basis for maintaining confidence in science.

Confidence in academic experts correlates with trends in institutional trust. According to Levada Center polls [September 2018], institutional trust in Russia is undergoing significant changes, reflecting a decline in government trust and an increase in trust in the army and special services, while trust in traditional and new media is almost unchanged (Institutional trust, 2019).

As follows from the latest Edelman Trust Barometer report, among informed citizens, the level of trust in institutions in Russia is at the level of 29% (against an average rating of 52% in the world). Against this background, there is a growing interest of the population in the news: the number of those who read the newsweekly or more often and share them on social networks has increased over the past few years from 26% to 40%. Confidence in search engines is also growing, while trust in social networks has not changed much and does not exceed 43% (Russians trust institutions less and less, 2019).

According to the HSE monitoring in 2016, there was a general trend of increasing confidence in science and technology: from 59 to 68% of Russians surveyed note the benefits of scientific and technological achievements. Young people under 34 years old trust science most of all: 73% (against the average rating for all respondents -67%); people with higher education also trust science more often: 71 (versus 67%). The same categories of citizens are more closely following the news of science and technology, in the know about the latest scientific achievements (Science and society: authority and trust).

The decline in confidence in scientific results is associated with the rapid updating and obsolescence of scientific knowledge. According to RCSPO, from 2010 to 2017, the indicator of trust in workers in the scientific field ranged from 66% to 79%. However, today most Russians (59%) think that scientists are hiding the truth from us. The most distrustful are people who have not completed school (77%), while among people with higher education this indicator is lower 45%. Sociologists noted an interesting fact: 42% of Russians believe that scientists know the truth, and 41% say that they are sincerely mistaken (Science and society: authority and trust…, 2018).

The attitude of young people to scientific activity is formed against the backdrop of the demand for scientific knowledge and the general situation of trust in it. The indicated processes show that the field of communications and emerging models of relations between scientists and society today are becoming significantly more complicated. To maintain confidence in themselves and their scientific results, scientists must develop a language of communication, actively interact with society, explain research results and their practical significance.