Study Finds Race-Gender Biases in Public Perceptions of Scientists’ Credibility

According to a new study from scholars at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Black women scientists in documentary films are viewed as less warm and less competent than Black male scientists and White scientists of both genders.

In partnership with authors from the Science Communication Lab in Berkeley, California, the research team conducted an online survey experiment in which participants viewed a one-minute video of actors portraying scientists that differed by two genders (female or male), two races (Black or White), and included two different actors for each race/gender combination, equating to eight different actors in total. The actors read one of two scripts regarding CRISPR and the intricacies of genetic editing. Next, the participants viewed one of two short films: one that featured a Black boy with sickle cell anemia and another than featured a White girl with albinism.

Overall, male and White scientists generally received higher ratings of warmth and competence, with specific differences emerging with race-gender combinations. Black male scientists rated the highest in warmth, followed by White women scientists, White male scientists, and Black women scientists. For competence, White women received the highest ratings, followed by Black men, White men, and Black women.

Contemptuous prejudice – the combination of low warmth and low competence – was most pronounced among Black women scientists, particularly when they introduced the film featuring the White girl with albinism. Notably, when participants were asked to rate how warm they found various demographic groups in society on a scale from 0 to 100, both Black Americans (76 percent) and women (79 percent) received high ratings, suggesting the low credibility ratings of Black women scientists is connected specifically to prejudices associated with their profession.

Based on their findings, the authors believe “Black female scientists’ challenges in research promotion, public engagement, and education efforts should be understood to be uniquely challenging compared to that of their colleagues, and they should receive tailored support in their efforts to diversify the representation of scientists. Even as we address recruitment bottlenecks and retention challenges, we must recognize that it takes a long journey to foster acceptance of scientists who defy outdated stereotypes, ensuring credibility, inclusivity, and rigor across the scientific community.”