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Re: depicting science:

If you haven't done this exercise before, you might enjoy trying this 
activity before reading on:
http://www.the-aps.org/education/2006rts/pdf/Draw_a_Scientist_handout.pdf 
(Or simply imagine and draw a picture of a scientist doing science.)


This is the classic "Draw-A-Scientist-Test" (DAST), originally developed by 
anthropologists Margaret Mead and Rhoda Metraux in 1957.  It's been widely 
used since then to track public perceptions of scientists over time, and 
across different ages, ethnicities and nationalities.  The consistent 
finding is that people asked to "Draw a picture of a scientist doing 
science" typically produce stereotyped drawings of a socially awkward, 
bearded old white man in a lab coat, with accessories such as beakers and 
equation-covered chalkboards.  (Picture the scientists in Gary Larson's Far 
Side.)   But it's a matter of debate how much that stereotype really 
affects public perception of science, or the likelihood of choosing science 
as a career.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has used the DAST as an activity in a 
science center.

The test linked above comes from the website of the American Physiological 
Society, which also offers this scoresheet: 
http://www.the-aps.org/education/2006rts/pdf/DASTRatingRubric.pdf

There was an interesting discussion of DAST and other measures of public 
perception of scientists in the NSF's Science and Engineering Indicators 
2002 
(<http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind02/c7/c7s3.htm>http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind02/c7/c7s3.htm).

Oddly and peculiarly yours,
Richard

***********************************************************
Richard O. Brown, PhD
Staff Neuroscientist / Exhibit and Project Developer
The Exploratorium
3601 Lyon Street
San Francisco, CA 94123-1099

(415) 353-0483
***********************************************************


At 04:24 PM 7/12/2006, you wrote:

>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>It turns out (surprise!) we're not the only ones grappling with how to
>depict science. This blog entry and its replies offer some scientists'
>opinions on the issue. Here's a hint: enough with the photos of colored
>liquids in Erlenmeyer flasks.
>
>http://pipeline.corante.com/archives/2006/07/07/memo_to_the_public_relat
>ions_department.php
>
>
>Katherine Ziff
>Exhibit Developer
>Great Lakes Science Center
>(216) 696-4058

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