A study in Nature Human Behaviour finds that demographic representation among scientists matters for trust across the United States. The research was led by James Druckman, a political science professor at the University of Rochester, with collaborators from nine universities and research institutions.
The authors note long-standing gaps in confidence. They report that white men make up about two-thirds of the scientific workforce and that nearly all scientists—92%—are from non-rural areas. Groups with lower trust include women, Black people, rural residents, religious people, those with low education and working-class people.
Researchers found that many people use demographic cues when judging scientific claims. Women and people of color relied more on these cues, while men and white Americans showed more variation. When scientists seem demographically distant, people doubt scientific objectivity and whether science benefits people like them. The authors argue that improving representation could strengthen public trust and help address misinformation and polarization.
Difficult words
- demographic — relating to characteristics of a population
- representation — showing different groups in a place or job
- trust — believe that someone or something is reliabletrust.
- workforce — all the people who work in a particular area
- objectivity — not influenced by personal feelings or opinions
- misinformation — false or wrong information shared with people
- polarization — when groups have very different opinions and divide
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why might people feel less trust when scientists look demographically different from them?
- How could showing more representation among scientists reduce misinformation in your community?
- Which of the listed groups with lower trust do you think is most important to reach, and why?
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