年老科学家比年轻科学家更抵制科学革命?——再议普朗克原则

Are Old Scientists More Resistant to Science Revolution than Young Scientists: Review on Planck's Principle

普朗克原则指出,年老科学家比年轻科学家接受新理论的速度更缓慢。本文试图在社会语境下分析年龄在科学创新接受度方面的影响,包括认知和动机因素、结构因素以及科学评估的语境。研究认为,相关实证研究仅能在一定程度上支持普朗克原则,年龄并不是抵制新科学理论的强相关因素,在新科学理论被接受过程中年龄的影响受其他多种因素作用,年龄在一定程度上影响了科学家对新理论的接受和选择,但其选择的背后因素是认知的差异。年龄效应的复杂性体现在,年轻科学家和年老科学家职业生涯的差异使其在接受新理论时所面临的社会风险及认知语境不同,或者还有其他影响科学变更的因素。因此应该摒弃"年老科学家必然导致对新理论的抵制"这一观点。

Planck＇s Principle points out that old scientists are slower than young scientists in acceptance to new theories. This article tries to explain the influential factors of age on accepting scientific innovation in the social context including cognition motivation, and structure as well as scientific assessments. Studies suggest that the relevant empirical research can only support Planck＇s principle to some extent. Age is not a strongly relevant factor in terms of resisting new scientific theories. The effect of age can be influenced by other multiple factors in the process of accepting new scientific theories. Age, to some extent, affects scientists＇ acceptance and choice on new theories, but it is the difference upon cognition that is behind such choices. The complexity of the effect of age reflects the fact that different career experience makes old and young scientists in different social risk, social cognition, as well as other factors when facing new scientific theories. Therefore, the viewpoint that ＂old scientists will inevitably resist a new theory＂ should be abandoned.