Hugo Mercier (ENS/Institut Jean Nicod). Trust in science

Published on January 6, 2026 – Updated on January 6, 2026

Trust in science matters: it relates to vaccination rates, acceptance of anthropogenic climate change, etc. Fortunately, it is relatively high nearly everywhere, and has remained so for decades. Why? People typically know very little about science, so why do they trust it? Here, I develop a rational impression account, in which people are exposed to scientific knowledge, which impresses them. They develop an impression that scientists are competent, but then forget the knowledge that prompted that impression. The results of surveys and experiments are offered in support of this account.

Dates

on the January 12, 2026

14H
Location
Université Paris Nanterre
campus Nanterre
Bat M. Weber
Amphi
Séminaire LAPPS. équipe PS2C

Hugo Mercier est directeur de recherche au CNRS à l'ENS-Ulm (Institut Jean Nicod) où il travaille notamment avec l'équipe "Evolution & Cognition sociale" (https://esc.dec.ens.fr/fr). Son dernier ouvrage s'intitule "Pas né de la dernière pluie" (https://www.eyrolles.com/Loisirs/Livre/pas-ne-de-la-derniere-pluie-9782379315480/).

Hugo Mercier abordera lundi la thématique de la confiance dans la science (via, notamment, des travaux empiriques récents en collaboration avec Jan Pfänder).
Trust in science
Trust in science matters: it relates to vaccination rates, acceptance of anthropogenic climate change, etc. Fortunately, it is relatively high nearly everywhere, and has remained so for decades. Why? People typically know very little about science, so why do they trust it? Here, I develop a rational impression account, in which people are exposed to scientific knowledge, which impresses them. They develop an impression that scientists are competent, but then forget the knowledge that prompted that impression. The results of surveys and experiments are offered in support of this account.
 

Updated on 06 janvier 2026