Tecnologia

Science, 159(3810): 56-63, January 5, 1968

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The Matthew Effect m Science
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The reward and communication systems of science are considered.
Robert K. Mcrton

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This paper develops a conception of ways in which certain psychosociai \ ., processes affect the allocation of rewards to scientists for their contribu\ tjons- an allocation which in turn affwts the flow of ideas and findings th&gh the communication networks of s&,nce. The conception is based upon ah, analysis of the compotite of experienc; ,,reported in Harriet Zuckerman’s intemiews with Nobel laureates in the United @ates (1) and upon data drawn from the diaries, letters, notebooks. scientific &pen, and biographies of other scientists.

image and the pubiic image of scientists arc iargeiy shaped by the cornmunaily validating testimony of sign& cant others that they have variously lived up to the exacting institutional requirements of their roies. A number of workers, in empiricai studies, have investigated various aspects of the reward system of science as thus conceived. Gtaser (3) has found. for example, that some degree of rcco&ion is required to stabiiizc the careen of scientists. In a case study Crane (4) used the quantity of publication (apart from quality) as a measure of scientific productivity and found that highly productive scientists at a major The Reward System and bceaparats university gained recognition more ofof the Forty-First chair” ten than equally productive scientists ’ ‘at a lesser university. Hagstrom (5) has We might best begin with s&me gendeveloped and partly tested the hypotherai observations on the reward system esis that matcriai rewards in science in science, basing these on eariier ibexfunction primarily to reinforce the opreticai formulations and empirical ‘ineration of a reward system in which vestigations. Some time ago (2) it wad the primary reward of recognition for noted that graded rewards in the realm ” , scientific contributions is exchanged for of