Misconduct vs. Mistakes: Effects of Scientific Retractions on Trust in Science

• In Event: Reproducibility and Other Problems: Practical and Institutional Responses to Contemporary Crises in Science - I

Abstract

The recent rise of article retraction rates and the increased media coverage garnered by some high-profile cases of retraction presents a need for examining the societal implications of retractions in science (Brainard, 2018). In prior research we found that news coverage of scientific studies that provide convincing evidence about environmental and health risks tends to amplify public risk perceptions. Yet, subsequent news coverage that criticizes those same studies and publicizes that they have been retracted, tend to attenuate perceived risk (Sarathchandra and McCright, 2017). However, there is insufficient empirical evidence to grasp impacts of scientific retractions beyond the level of individual perceptual changes, towards the risk under consideration. For instance, we do not yet know if scientific retractions can also affect public trust in the institutions (e.g., science) and the individuals (e.g., scientists) who are tasked with minimizing and managing risk.

Drawing from the Social Amplification of Risk framework (Kasperson et al. 1988), in this research we used two within-group messaging experiments administered to a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, and, examined the effects of exposure to media coverage of retraction of a stem cell study on (1) positive affect towards the lead author, (2) trust in scientists, and (3) support for science. We found that retraction news coverage does shape public perceptions of the scientific community. Specifically, receiving news of a retraction caused by ‘intentional misconduct’ decreases positive affect towards the lead author and trust in scientists more generally. However, scientists’ admitting to ‘honest mistakes’ does not undermine public trust in scientists and support for science.

References
Brainard, J. (2018). Rethinking retractions. Science, 362, 391-393.
Kasperson, R. E., Renn, O., Slovic, P., Brown, H. S., Emel, J., Goble, R., & Ratick, S. (1988). The social amplification of risk: A conceptual framework. Risk Analysis, 8, 177-187.
Sarathchandra, D. and McCright, A. M. (2017). The effects of media coverage of scientific retractions on risk perceptions. Sage Open, 7(2), 1-11.

Authors

• Dilshani Sarathchandra, University of Idaho

• Aaron McCright, Michigan State University