Politicized science and rural–urban divides: Exploring how rurality in the place of residence and red and blue media use affected attitudes toward scientists before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Based on the concept of place‐based identity, this study disentangles the effects of rurality and partisanship and considers their interactions with red/blue media use in rural–urban divides in attitudes toward scientists. By employing the 2016 American National Election Survey and our 2021 survey data, we investigated how partisanship, rurality, and red/blue media use related to attitudes toward scientists. Analyses revealed distinct roles for partisanship and rurality in predicting attitudes, even after controlling for demographic variables, including family income and education. Compared to those who resided in large metro areas, residents of more rural areas tended to harbor more negative attitudes toward scientists. This tendency was reinforced by red media use in 2021 but not in 2016. Given the dissimilar results in 2016 and 2021 in terms of the interaction of red media use and rurality, we should pay more attention to rural–urban divides in attitudes toward scientists.