Event Details

Title: Politicized Scientists: Credibility Cost of Political Expression on Twitter

Abstract: As social media becomes prominent within academia, we examine its reputational costs for academics. Analyzing Twitter posts from 98,000 scientists (2016–22), we uncover substantial political expression. Online experiments with 4,000 U.S. respondents and 135 journalists, rating synthetic academic profiles with varied political affiliations, reveal that politically neutral scientists are seen as the most credible. Political expression imposes a monotonic penalty: stronger posts reduce perceived individual and research credibility and audience engagement, particularly among oppositely aligned respondents. Scientists’ surveys highlight their awareness of these penalties, perceived benefits of political expression, and a consensus on limiting such expression outside their expertise.