Breaking Through the Stereotypical Image of the Scientist: The Importance of Representation and Familiarization

Stereotypical representations of scientists in the media account for a considerable portion of the knowledge that children receive about who scientists are and what they do. We are all familiar with the stereotypical image of... [ view full abstract ]

Stereotypical representations of scientists in the media account for a considerable portion of the knowledge that children receive about who scientists are and what they do. We are all familiar with the stereotypical image of a scientist: a white man in a lab coat working alone in their laboratory. While this portrayal seems pretty harmless, it can have a negative effect on school-age children who believe that if they don’t fit the image, than they are not fit to be scientists, this rings especially true for females, as they are often underrepresented in STEM. Through the use of the Draw a Scientist Test (DAST), I was able to gain an understanding of what preconceived ideas Chilean students (ages 11-19) had about scientists. I then re-administered the DAST after students attended a talk with a scientist, to measure how interacting with a real scientist changes their perceptions. The results show a decrease in stereotypical images between the first and second drawings. There was also an increase in the number of female scientists drawn by female students after attending a talk given by a woman. The implications of this research show that it is possible to break down the stereotypes around scientists and create a scientific environment that is inclusive to all identities.