The Evolutionist, the Creationist, and the 'Unsure': Picking-Up the Wrong Fight?

The public acceptance of evolution is under constant scrutiny. Surveys and polls regularly measure whether the public accepts evolutionist "or" creationist views. The differences between groups, such as people from various countries, are then explained by variations in religious views. But what is often overlooked, is that the data also show that a large proportion of the population, about one-third, is unsure what to believe. This figure generally goes unnoticed. We argue that the emphasis on religious variables obscures another, perhaps more important, variable: the conceptual understanding of evolution. This factor may help explain why so many people are unsure about evolution and offers a greater potential to increase public understanding and acceptance of the theory, perhaps with the active involvement of science educators.