Science and technology influence and shape numerous aspects of our daily lives in various ways. Understanding this empowers people to make more informedpersonal and societal decisions, promotes more economic opportunities, facilitates the effective use of digital technologies and adaptation to new innovations, and encourages more meaningful participation in related decision-making processes. Examining South Africans’ understanding of “science” and “technology”, ­this is one of three articles in the June edition of the HSRC Review that draws on data from the HSRC’s 2022 South African Public Relationship with Science Survey.

Science and technology play a critical role in every part of our lives, shaping our daily experiences and influencing the advancement of society, in areas such as health, education, food production, water supply, and information and communication technologies, among others. This role, however, may not always be recognised by the public.

To promote a better understanding and appreciation of the importance of science and technology, we must foster knowledge about how science and technology shape our everyday experiences and the role they play in addressing societal challenges.

The HSRC’s 2022 South African Public Relationship with Science (SAPRS) Survey explored South Africans’ existing understanding of science and technology through open-ended questions, before providing an explanation of what these terms meant in the context of the survey.

When you hear the words “science” and “technology”, what comes to mind?

At the beginning of each survey interview, respondents were asked two questions: (i) “When you hear the word SCIENCE, what comes to mind?” and (ii) “When you hear the word TECHNOLOGY, what comes to mind?” These questions aimed to understand respondents’ perceptions of these terms.

Nearly 6 000 responses were collected for each question, providing explanations or examples of what they thought of as science and technology. The data was then captured, cleaned, coded and categorised. The final collection of words and phrases was then used to generate two-word clouds – one for “science” and one for “technology”. Figure 1 and Figure 2 graphically show these views. The size of the words corresponds to the number of respondents that mentioned each description.

Figure 1. When you hear the word SCIENCE, what comes to mind?

Source: HSRC

The coding of responses related to science yielded 191 distinct words or phrases. Respondents most commonly associated science with nature, medicine, chemicals, its impact on their daily lives and its potential to enhance their quality of life (“improving lives”). Other common responses included references to laboratories, appliances, school science,research, knowledge and the environment.

Many respondents recognised the value of science in their daily lives and the positive impact that it can have: • “It is everyday living using things like stoves, gas, fridges. etc.” • “…basically, things that are [a] product of science like electricity, how we find water, the food we eat, a lot of things that include science.” • “Science is everything that we do and how we live and behave.” • “I think about advancements and ways to help our communities thrive and evolve.” • “Research and investigations to get solutions for current challenges facing the world.”

A small number of respondents, however, expressed negative associations with science, linking it to concepts including violence, brainwashing, destruction, exploitation, manipulation and “being crazy” or in conflict with religious beliefs:   • “I think of people who use chemicals to create bombs.” • “I think it’s crazy, I don’t like science.” • “People who don’t believe in God.” • “When it comes to science, it’s investigation… using people as guinea pigs, as test targets. Science has no end results now, everybody and everything are test specimens.” • “Science is too difficult to understand because scientists are too secretive about their work.”

Figure 2. When you hear the word TECHNOLOGY, what comes to mind? 

Source: HSRC

While there was some overlap in descriptions provided between “science” and “technology” especially around the term “advancements”, the coding of public understandings of “technology” revealed 200 distinct words or phrases. The word cloud highlights that the most common associations with technology were phones, computers and advancement. Other frequently mentioned terms included television, cars, radio, robots, machinery, devices, electronics, gadgets and the internet.

Many respondents also linked technology to appliances in general, with some specifying items like stoves, microwaves, fridges and radios. A smaller group understood technology to encompass high-level innovations such as software, banks, satellites, artificial intelligence (AI) and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

While most responses did not include a value judgement about technology, several respondents did acknowledge the benefits of technology in their lives: • “Better lifestyle and better future, advanced way of living.” • “Technology is using cell phones, computers, machinery, all as part of our work or home lives.” • “Cell phones, tablets, internet on smartphones, television, radio and everything that makes our life easy.” • “My cell phone is a modern technology that helps people stay in touch with loved ones.”

However, some respondents were also critical of technology in relation to aspects such as its impact on employment, a fear of the control it could have and the cost of technology: • “Improvement with lack of self-discipline, it can lead to humanity’s demise.” • “Technology is something that decreases employment. People’s jobs are now replaced by machines.” • “Technology means anti-Christ. [It] means controlling of the world and population.” • “Robbery, because technology is too expensive. Only the rich can afford it.”

Other respondents acknowledged both the benefits offered,and the risks posed, by technology: • “It’s about making our lives more advanced and manageable, but it has its advantages and disadvantages like kids abuse their cell phones and go on funny websites.” • “Makes life easier but slowly destroys earth.” • “It’s what keep us communicating, but [it’s] slowly destroying our country.”

A few respondents also highlighted the association between science and technology, noting that “Science is innovation, new knowledge, technology and solving of challenges”; “It is the application of scientific knowledge to practical aims of human life”; and “Technology is the product of transferring scientific knowledge to practical use”.

The results from these open-ended questions showcased the wide range of public perceptions of science and technology, offering a valuable foundation for examining the relationship between the South African public and science.

Promoting the understanding of science and technology in South Africa

Improving public understanding of science and technology should begin in early childhood and be sustained throughout the formal education system. Schools can cultivate this understanding by incorporating hands-on experiments,  including real-world problem-solving activities into the curriculum, interactive science fairs and educational field trips. These experiences render abstract concepts more tangible and demonstrate how science and technology intersect with daily life.

Beyond formal education, public awareness campaigns play a vital role in making science and technology accessible to people of all ages. These campaigns should leverage both traditional and digital media to deliver clear, relevant and engaging content. Effective strategies could include:

• Broadcast media: Television and radio programmes where scientists explain science and technology topics, and how they relate to daily life.
• Digital content: Videos and social media posts demonstrating aspects of science and technology, shared via platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
• Print materials: Booklets and posters with easy-to-understand explanations on topics like energy, food safety or disease prevention, displayed and distributed in schools, clinics and community centres.
• Travelling exhibits and performances: Travelling science exhibits and educational plays that visit rural and underserved areas, ideally presented in local languages to enhance comprehension.
• Interactive public events: Such as stargazing, environmental clean-ups or public science experiments that enhance the understanding of what constitutes science and technology.

These initiatives should be tailored to different segments of society. In areas with limited internet access, face-to-face engagement is essential. Outreach teams can visit schools, community halls and environmental centres to deliver demonstrations and workshops. In urban areas, internet-based resources such as online courses, virtual exhibitions and webinars could reach a broader audience. To ensure inclusivity, content should be available in all South African languages.

Another important strategy is training professionals from organisations such as universities, research institutions and science centres in effective public communication and engagement. Effectively using tools such as storytelling, visual communication and digital media skills can make science and technology more relatable and easier to understand.

By implementing these approaches, we can improve the South African public’s understanding of science and technology.

Research contacts and acknowledgements

This article was written by Sylvia Hannan (shannan@hsrc.ac.za) and Dr Thando Tenza (ttenza@hsrc.ac.za), chief researchers in the HSRC’s Equitable Education and Economies (EEE) division. It is based on findings from the 2022 SAPRS Survey, which was funded by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation.

Over the course of four years, the core research team members on the SAPRS Survey project were Dr Vijay Reddy, Dr Benjamin Roberts, Sylvia Hannan and Dr Steven Gordon. Researchers who contributed to aspects of the study were Dr Thando Tenza, Dr Shanaaz Dunn, Dr Saahier Parker, Dr Ngqapheli Mchunu, Dr Thobeka Zondi, and Fabian Arends.