Abstract:
This study documents the occurrence of stereotypical representations of
gender, race, and other characteristics in individuals that appear in advertisements in
the prestigious academic journal Science. It repeats and expands upon a study
conducted by Mary Barbercheck (2001) that analyzed advertisements in Science
between 1995 and 1997. In this study, advertisements larger than one third of a page
that contained a human figure (N=1809) were analyzed in terms of perceived race,
gender, occupation, and social characteristics of the individuals shown in all 154
issues of Science published from 2004 through 2006. Relevant occupation and social
characteristics of the individuals were identified; specifically it was noted if the
individuals appeared to be a scientist, a scientific hero or expert, an athlete, a "nerd" or
nonconformist, or a caregiver of a child. Additionally, the use of the words
simple/easy and efficient/fast/reliable/accurate in these advertisements was tracked.
Every appropriate advertisement was included in the analysis each time it appeared,
which allowed a complete and thorough examination of the trends reveled in the
advertisements. These data were contrasted with Barbercheck's 1995 through 1997
data in order to reveal how the use of stereotypes in advertisements in Science has
changed since the late 1990s. Analyses indicate that scientific advertisements
increasingly portray a diverse population. However, social stereotypes and historical
dominance of the sciences by certain social groups within the United States continue
to be represented in these advertisements, emphasizing how social and cultural norms
significantly inform and reflect the manner in which scientific advertisements are
composed.
