Science Popularization Empowers Social Capital, Boosting Innovative Development

Social capital theory holds that social trust, normative networks and mutual assistance and cooperation are the core invisible driving forces for social development and economic growth. The important assertion that "scientific and technological innovation and science popularization are the two wings of innovative development, and science popularization should be placed on an equal footing with scientific and technological innovation" not only requires the coordinated advancement of science popularization and scientific and technological innovation, but also implies the connection between science popularization and social capital.

As a bridge connecting science and technology with society, science popularization can not only cultivate the public’s scientific literacy, but also accumulate social trust, build cooperation networks and gather value consensus, injecting lasting momentum into the appreciation of social capital. In turn, strong social capital can feed back the cause of science popularization, providing extensive social support and resource guarantee. The two form a benign cycle of two-way empowerment, becoming a key link to activate the innovation ecosystem. In the process of advancing high-level scientific and technological self-reliance in the new era, empowering social capital through high-quality science popularization is of great significance and value.

Science popularization fosters social trust and lays a solid foundation for social capital. Social trust is the core element of social capital and the premise for maintaining social operation and cooperation. With the rapid development of science and technology, public cognitive deviations about scientific and technological achievements and doubts about cutting-edge technologies often trigger trust crises, restricting technological transformation and social coordination. As an important way to build scientific and technological trust, science popularization can break professional barriers and information asymmetry, resolve public misunderstandings and fears about science and technology, and cultivate rational and stable social trust through objective, popular and comprehensive dissemination of scientific content. This trust includes both public trust in scientific and technological achievements and research institutions, and consensus-based trust between people formed on the basis of scientific cognition, which together constitute an important foundation for social capital.

Science popularization builds cooperation networks and expands the radiation boundary of social capital. The appreciation of social capital is inseparable from extensive cooperation networks and resource linkage. As a social cause involving the whole people, science popularization can integrate multiple subjects such as the government, research institutions, enterprises and the public, build cross-field and multi-level cooperation networks, and promote the cross-border flow and radiation extension of social capital. This kind of cooperation network includes not only the integration of resources within the field of science popularization, but also the cross-border linkage between science popularization and scientific and technological innovation, industry and people’s livelihood. Through resource sharing and complementary advantages, the expansion and upgrading of social capital are realized.

Science popularization can gather value consensus and enhance the internal efficiency of social capital. The efficiency of social capital depends not only on the degree of trust and the breadth of the network, but also on whether multiple subjects form a consistent value consensus. While spreading scientific knowledge and cultivating scientific thinking, science popularization can convey the scientific spirit, promote an innovative culture, and gather a value consensus of respecting science, advocating innovation and mutual assistance and cooperation, enabling social capital to produce a stronger synergetic effect. This value consensus can guide multiple subjects to form common development goals, reduce differences and internal friction in cooperation, improve the efficiency of social capital utilization, and provide spiritual support for the construction of an innovation ecosystem.

To realize the two-way empowerment of science popularization and social capital, it is necessary to eliminate cognitive misunderstandings and build a sound coordination mechanism. On the one hand, it is necessary to increase investment in science popularization, optimize the allocation of science popularization resources, and promote the refinement of science popularization content, diversification of communication and inclusiveness of services. On the other hand, it is necessary to give full play to the feedback role of social capital, guide multiple subjects to participate in the cause of science popularization, and form a benign cycle. At the same time, the requirements of the newly revised Science Popularization Law should be implemented to integrate science popularization into the national innovation system and promote it in coordination with scientific and technological innovation.

As an invisible link connecting science and technology with society, science popularization plays an irreplaceable role in the cultivation, accumulation and appreciation of social capital. From laying the foundation of social trust to expanding the boundary of cooperation networks and gathering value consensus, science popularization empowers social capital through multiple paths, providing a solid social foundation for the construction of an innovation ecosystem. In the new era, we must attach importance to the social capital empowerment value of science popularization, promote the in-depth integration of science popularization and social capital, and let science popularization become an important force to activate social capital and empower innovative development, injecting lasting momentum into the construction of a strong science and technology country.