Ethical issues in communicating science.

Ethical issues in communicating science. Research Abstract Details 

Research Abstract Table of Contents

Jump to the:

Ethical issues in communicating science. Abstract Text:

J M Garrett,S J Bird,

Most of the publicized work on scientific ethics concentrates on establishing professional norms and avoiding misconduct. The successful communication of science is the responsibility of all involved in the process. In one study, the increased incidence of autism and other social developmental disorders in males was investigated by examining individuals with Turner's syndrome (XO females). In the national newspaper this became "Genetic X-factor explains why boys will always be boys". The steps by which a study on developmental disorders, published in a highly prestigious journal, was transformed into an article in the science section which 'explained' the socially expected gender-based behavior of genetically normal children are fascinating and, unfortunately far too typical. The scientists wrote an excellent article that has just one sentence at the end that hesitantly suggests that the findings might, with further study, have some relevance to understanding normal behavior. The general interest article in the front of the journal gave a good account of the research, but suggested more strongly that there could be an in-built biological dimorphism in social cognition. This was misrepresented in the press as proof of gender differences that "undermines the trend towards sexual equality", and both illustrates cultural bias and provides fodder for feminist critiques of science. The study has been made to appear to be biased in favor of justifying the social structure of society, and yet it was the translation from the scientific study to national news that produced this transformation to biased genetic determinism. It is poor communication of the actual science, coupled with a lack of skepticism on the part of the public, that contributes to such a misapplication of science. Scientists should resist the urge to generalize their results to make them more compelling. The science community should not allow misconstructions of scientific facts to go unchallenged. Journalists, for both the scientific publication and the newspaper, should resist the inclination to embellish the finding with social significance that is not present. For their part, readers must be doubly skeptical of any finding that appears to underwrite any current social hierarchy. We are all responsible for a communication and interpretation of science that is as accurate and socially responsible as possible.

Ethical issues in communicating science. Publishing Authors By Initials

JM Garrett,SJ Bird,

For similar natural sciences: science research abstracts see: natural sciences: science research

PUBMED ID PMID:

MEDLINE DATE:

Ethical issues in communicating science. Journal Published:

PUBLICATION TYPE: Editorial

Journal: Science and engineering ethics

VOLUME: 6

Page Numbers: 435-42

Journal Abbreviation:

ISSN: 1353-3452

DAY: 20

MONTH: Oct

YEAR: 2000

Ethical issues in communicating science. Information

Number of References:

LANGUAGE: eng

NlmUniqueID: 9516228

Ethical issues in communicating science. Keywords Mesh Terms:

KEYWORDS: Science

MESH TERMS: education

Chemical & Substance for Abstract: Ethical issues in communicating science. Information

Substance Name:

Registry Number:

Grant and Affiliation Information for Ethical issues in communicating science.

AFFILIATION:

Country: England

AGENCY:

GRANT:

ACRONYM:

MEDLINETA: Sci Eng Ethics

REFSOURCE:

DATABASENAME:

ACCESSION NUMBER:

Number Hits: 0

Ethical issues in communicating science Related Publications

• A study of fasciculations.
• Absorption and dispersion of ultrasonic waves in acetic acid.
• Age-related macular disease: aetiology and clinical management.
• Arterial elasticity: asset or liability?
• Benign tumors of the stomach.
• Cambodian founder effect for spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (Machado-Joseph disease).
• Clinicopathological concordance and discordance in three monozygotic twin pairs with familial Alzheimer's disease.
• Diagnosis and management of critical illness polyneuropathy and critical illness myopathy.
• Event-biased referral can distort estimation of hepatitis C virus progression rate to cirrhosis, and of prognostic influences.
• Failure to diagnose: Addison disease.
• Failure to follow up CT reports.
• Gender and gonadal status differences in zona reticularis expression in marmoset monkey adrenals: Cytochrome b5 localization with respect to cytochrome P450 17,20-lyase activity.
• Haemolytic-uraemic syndrome and T-activation of red blood cells.
• IONISATION CONSTANTS OF SOME PENICILLINS AND OF THEIR ALKALINE AND PENICILLINASE HYDROLYSIS PRODUCTS.
• Interactions of dietary fibre and resistant starch with oil on genetic damage in the rat colon.
• Lack of control of nitrite assimilation by ammonium in an oceanic picocyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp. strain WH 8103.
• Magnesium deficiency in the chick; clinical and neuropathologic findings.
• Metallosensors, the ups and downs of gene regulation.
• One aspect of causation in alcoholism.
• PRACTICAL USE OF THE BLOOD CULTURE IN PUBLIC HEALTH WORK.
• Patterns and correlates of deliberate abstinence among men and women with HIV/AIDS.
• Penicillin in pharmaceutical practice.
• Probing the microscopic structure of bound states in quantum point contacts.
• Relation of vitamin B12 to the growth factor present in cow manure.
• Social hygiene; a psychiatric viewpoint.
• The lipidoses and the central nervous system.
• The use of the Waring blender in biochemical work.
• Too good to be true.
• Tumours associated with a virus infection in an insect.
• Unsafe sharps management.