Turks finds scientists most trustworthy professionals: Research

ISTANBUL

Turks find scientists the most trustworthy profession, according to research by the Ipsos Group, a global market research company.

Scientists were followed by doctors and teachers on the list, said the research.

About 70 percent of Turks found scientists to be trustworthy. Meanwhile, doctors were deemed trustworthy by 61 percent of Turks, teachers by 59 percent, police by 39 percent, members of the Armed Forces by 35 percent and judges by 32 percent.

The research was conducted in a total of 23 countries, one of which was Turkey. The survey was an international sample of 19,587 adults aged 16-74. Fieldwork was conducted during October 2018. Approximately 1,000 individuals participated in each country via the Ipsos Online Panel.

In all countries where they are asked, politicians are considered the most untrustworthy profession. In Turkey, 11 percent of people find politicians trustworthy, according to the research.

Politicians were followed by clergy (with 12 percent trusting), television news broadcasters (with 13 percent trusting), journalists (with 15 percent trusting), advertising executives (with 17 percent trusting) and businesspeople (with 19 percent trusting).

Scientists are seen as the most trustworthy in 12 countries, doctors in eight, and teachers are considered most trustworthy in three countries.

Russians are most likely to consider scientists to be trustworthy (76 percent). Even though South Korea and Japan come in at the bottom of the global ranking, scientists remain the most trusted profession in both nations (42 percent and 40 percent, respectively).

The countries that participated in the survey are: Russia, Argentina, Mexico, Turkey, Italy, India, Spain, China, Great Britain, Australia, Poland, France, Hungary, Canada, Sweden, Belgium, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Germany, South Africa, South Korea and Japan.

China and India are most likely to see the armed forces as trustworthy (72 percent and 70 percent, respectively), followed by the United States (60 percent). The trustworthiness of armed forces is lowest among citizens of South Korea (18 percent), Germany (24 percent) and South Africa (29 percent).

Chinese, Saudi and Canadian citizens are most likely to consider journalists to be trustworthy. The highest “untrustworthy” scores are in Turkey (51 percent), Great Britain and Argentina (both 46 percent).