Examining Science Identity: Contributions of Social Factors to Individuals’ Belongingness to Science and Explanatory Tendency

• In Event: Exploring Science in the Preschool Years: Identity Development and Learning Through Educational Narratives

Abstract

Objectives. Public hesitancy about public health policies during COVID-19 revealed a concerningly low level of science literacy and lack of trust in science within the U.S. (Moore et al, 2021). Understanding and improving popular views of science is therefore imperative given influences on how individuals engage with public health and science education.

In two studies, we examined individuals’ attitudes to science, feelings of belonging in science (science identity) and perceptions of science elitism. We also explored how these variables related to participants’ internalization of scientifically normative explanatory forms when explaining non-living natural phenomena (e.g., generating causal rather than non-causal explanations) and scientific accuracy.

Theoretical framework. Multiple factors including linguistic cues about science (Rhodes et al., 2020) and stereotypical cues like classroom or workspace aesthetics (Cheryan et al., 2009) influence individuals’ views on and tendencies to participate in science. Girls are less likely to express a science identity and thus a feeling of belonging in science (Vincent-Ruz & Schunn, 2018). Significantly, children’s interest in science declines with age, particularly during the middle school years (Lei et al., 2019). It is therefore critical to understand how social identity and cognitive factors relate to views of science.

Methods and Data sources. Study 1 (N = 144, age range= 5- to-68-years of age) was conducted at an urban science museum to recruit a broad age range and science-friendly sample. Study 2 (N = 297, age range= 18- to-95-years of age) was conducted on Prolific to recruit a general adult sample. Using Likert ratings and open-ended questions, we assessed participants’ science identity (e.g., self-perceiving or feeling perceived as someone who does science), perceptions of science elitism (e.g., feeling science is for special/smarter people), views of science as part of everyday life and causal explanatory tendencies and accuracy. Participants reported their age, gender, racial/ethnic identities.

Results. In both studies, participants saw science as integral to everyday life and part of commonplace activities like cooking and using Legos (Table 1). Despite this, many participants perceived science as elitist. This tendency was lower in Study 1’s science museum sample but increased with age in both studies (Table 2). Importantly, perceiving science as elitist predicted weaker science identity thus a lower personal sense of belonging in science (Table 2). Finally, science identity was predictive of scientific behavior: participants with stronger science identities were more likely to adopt scientifically normative explanatory forms and thus use causal explanations when explaining non-living natural phenomena (Table 3). This was true though the general accuracy of those scientific explanations was low, especially in younger participants (Table 3).

Significance. These results highlight significant social barriers that science communication, science education and science career engagement must overcome. Though people recognize science is everywhere, they still perceive it as elitist thus not for them. Importantly, this weakening of science identity has implications for scientific behavior: lower science identities predicted lower tendencies to adopt scientifically warranted forms of explanation. Addressing feelings of belongingness in science is crucial to avoid repeating the scientific misunderstanding and distrust displayed during the pandemic.
 

Authors

• Aarti Bodas, Boston University

• Deborah Kelemen, Boston University

• Malvika Khandelwal, Boston University

• Cristian Latorre, Boston University

• Ankita Kumar, Boston University