中美中学生心目中的科学家形象比较研究--以中国北京地区及美国麦迪逊海茨地区中学生为例

A Comparative Study of Image of Scientists in the Eyes of the Middle School Students between China and America——A Case Study of Middle School Students in Beijing and Madison Heights

青少年心中的科学家形象是科学传播的重要组成部分,科学家形象的好坏,影响青少年未来是否将科学相关职业作为就业方向。科学家形象已经引起了国内外研究者的重视,但总体来说缺乏对不同国家青少年的对比分析。本文在问卷调查的基础上,对中美两国中学生心中的科学家形象进行了比较研究,发现中美学生对科学家仍然存在刻板印象。美国中学生愿意成为科学家是因为科学家能出名、过上好生活;中国中学生愿意成为科学家是由于父母的期望及周围人的态度。美国中学生眼中科学家只是职业的一种,想成为科学家是出于个人兴趣;而中国学生的职业选择被父母左右,科学家在父母眼中属于至高无上的职业,所以孩子才会选择科学。改变这一现状需要大众媒体的客观报道,父母、教师的正确引导,才能使青少年全面、正确地了解科学家和他们所从事的工作,面对科学事业可以做出更为理智的选择。

The image of scientists in youngsters' minds is an important part of science communication. The image of scientists affects the youngsters' decision concerning whether they will take science-related careers as their employment directions in the future. The issues regarding the image of scientists have already drawn wide-ranging attention from researchers both at home and abroad. Whereas,the comparative study on adolescents in different countries is still lacking. By utilizing questionnaire survey,the image of scientists in middle school students' minds in China and the United States is comparatively studied in the paper, the findings in the research reveal that Chinese and American students still hold stereo-typed impressions and opinions about scientists. The reason why high school students in the United States are willing to become scientists is that scientists can make themselves world-renowned and naturally lead a decent-life; while middle school students in China are willing to become scientists largely owing to their parents' expectations and the attitudes of people around them. In the eyes of middle school students in the United States, scientists are merely a profession, they want to be scientists because of their personal interests and motivations. However,Chinese students' career choices in this regard are predominantly affected by their parents, in the eyes of their parents,scientists are superb professions,which leads their kids to pick up science-related careers as their prospective careers. In order to have the current situation changed,it calls for the impartial reporting from the mass media and the right guidance from their parents and teachers as well. Only by doing so,youngsters can have a better knowledge about scientists and the work they are undertaking,so that they can make a more sensible and balanced choice when it comes to scientist-related careers.