Trust in science during the COVID-19 pandemic: A typology of internet users in South Africa

Public trust in science was challenged by the ‘infodemic’ during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigates South African digitised publics regarding their trust in science and contact with science, as well as perceived changes in trust due to the pandemic. Through a survey among South African online users with updated measures of trust in science and latent profile analysis, we identified four population groups (n = 1,541) with varying patterns of trust and frequency of contact with science: the fully trusting (30%), highly trusting (35%), moderately trusting (28%), and rather untrusting (8%). Those who trust the most have particularly high values for benevolence; those who trust less for expertise. This could provide clues for the development of targeted communication strategies. Furthermore, the results point to cultural aspects and indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a key event for public trust in science in South Africa.