Academics’ Attitudes Toward Engaging in Public Discussions: Experimental Evidence on the Impact of Engagement Conditions

Author:

Püttmann VitusORCID,Ruhose JensORCID,Thomsen Stephan L.ORCID

Abstract

AbstractGrowing demands and expectations on the side of policy makers and the public have changed the conditions for academics’ engagement in public discussions. At the same time, risks related to this engagement for the professional and even private lives of academics have become apparent. Conducting a survey experiment among 4091 tenured professors in Germany, we study how these conditions causally affect academics’ attitudes toward engaging. Consistent with the crowding-out of intrinsic motivation, we find less-positive attitudes when emphasizing demands for engagement by public authorities and public expectations toward science’s societal relevance. Effects are particularly strong among professors endorsing science–society relations. Moreover, effects are similar when highlighting risks associated with engagement, but more pronounced for females and younger professors. Emphasizing public support for academics’ engagement has no discernible effects. We conclude that considering individual incentive structures and safeguarding against negative repercussions may promote academics’ engagement and an adequate representation of the diversity of academics in the public.

Funder

Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Subject

Education

Reference49 articles.

1. Ambrasat, J., Heger, C., & Rucker, A. (2020). Wissenschaftsbefragung 2019/20. Methoden & Fragebogen. Deutsches Zentrum für Hochschul- und Wissenschaftsforschung. Retrieved September 22, 2022, from https://www.wb.dzhw.eu/downloads/WiBef_Methodenbericht2019-20.pdf

2. BEIS (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy). (2020). Public Attitudes to Science 2019. Main Report. Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). Retrieved September 22, 2022, from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/905466/public-attitudes-to-science-2019.pdf

3. Berghäuser, H. (2017). Die Dritte Mission in der Hochschulgovernance. Eine Analyse der Landeshochschulgesetze. Hochschulmanagement – Zeitschrift für die Leitung, Entwicklung und Selbstverwaltung von Hochschulen und Wissenschaftseinrichtungen, 12(2+3), 35–43.

4. Besley, J. C., Dudo, A., Yuan, S., & Lawrence, F. (2018). Understanding scientists’ willingness to engage. Science Communication, 40(5), 559–590. https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547018786561

5. Besley, J. C., Newman, T. P., Dudo, A., & Tiffany, L. A. (2020). Exploring scholars’ public engagement goals in Canada and the United States. Public Understanding of Science, 29(8), 855–867. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662520950671

Cited by 3 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3