I think this is also a root of science denialism (e.g. anti-vaxxers). I have some antivax family, and the root of their opinion is that the scientists changed their advice as the pandemic developed!
My theory is that in primary and high schools, science is taught as a series of immutable "facts". You get tested on remembering them, and when you do an "experiment" you get marked down if your reading of the litmus paper isn't 4. No sense of doubt, and no exposure to the epistemic boundaries to controleld trials, measurements, etc.
If your takeaway is that scientists uncover and explain immutable facts, hearing them say one thing in January and another in June can in fact shake your beliefs in these scientists.
My theory is that in primary and high schools, science is taught as a series of immutable "facts". You get tested on remembering them, and when you do an "experiment" you get marked down if your reading of the litmus paper isn't 4. No sense of doubt, and no exposure to the epistemic boundaries to controleld trials, measurements, etc.
If your takeaway is that scientists uncover and explain immutable facts, hearing them say one thing in January and another in June can in fact shake your beliefs in these scientists.