Study: A Scientist’s Gender May Influence Perceptions of Likability, Competence and Trust

A new study has found that exposure to science messages from female scientists significantly increases trust in science and perceived competence.

The findings by Olivia Bullock, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) Advertising assistant professor and Austin Hubner, who will be joining UFCJC in fall  2025 as a Public Relations assistant professor, are featured in “Why Science Should Have a Female Face: Female Experts Increase Liking, Competence and Trust in Science” published in Science Communication on Nov. 12.

The authors examined how the gender of a scientist may influence perceptions about the scientist’s likability, competence and downstream effects of broader trust in science.

According to the authors, “Our study poses important implications for public engagement with science, media portrayal of scientists, and educational strategies. Findings indicate that a female scientist may be liked more, which influences perceptions of the scientist’s credibility and participants’ overall trust in science. These results pose implications for message designers, source credibility, and engagement and persuasion with science topics—namely, that a female ’face’ on science information may facilitate liking, competence, and trust.”

Posted: November 14, 2024
Category: College News, Science Communication News
Tagged as: Advertising, Austin Hubner, Olivia Bullock, Public Relations