Most U.S. Scientists are Democrats

[Ben]

Nothing Earth-shattering, I know. The somewhat neutral leaning of the article, coming from Slate, was interesting though. Especially since I apparently fall into the 6% zone (as they have no option for "Republican with strong libertarian leanings"). The article did kind of hit home for me. As a "minority" from the political perspective in the sciences, I'm perhaps more sensitive to recognizing political views being injected into scientific views -- especially when listening to "water cooler" conversations that I have no doubt influence publications and official reports. Certainly if the numbers were reversed there might very well be bias from the other direction. The Slate article though, seems pretty unbiased in its suggestion that the scientific community should acknowledge this, which it is loathe to do.

The second link is to the PEW report, which is also interesting reading. I would be interested to see the results of other polls, and polls from say, 50 years ago. PEW seems to lump all scientists together. Political ideologies by field would be interesting to see. If I were to poll the very small sample set of the dozen or so engineers I know, the results would look much less skewed to the left.

http://www.slate.com/id/2277104/

http://people-press.org/report/528/

[SADShooter]

Anecdotally, I certainly see this. The physicians/scientists I work with operate in an academic bubble, and are as a rule philosophically aligned with the notion of organized, collectivist approaches to problem solving. In terms of self-interest, they see progressive politics as more likely to generate funding for their research.

[drewtam]

According to the report, the "scientists" they sampled seem to have come entirely from the AAAS organization.

About the Scientist Survey

Results for the scientist survey are based on 2,533 online interviews conducted from May 1 to June 14, 2009 with members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), under the direction of Princeton Survey Research Associates International. A sample of 9,998 members was drawn from the AAAS membership list excluding those who were not based in the United States or whose membership type identified them as primary or secondary-level educators.

I think this source is potentially highly biased, despite its claim to exclude educators.

I consider engineers (like myself) 'scientists'. But since I work for a private company, I don't participate or pay attention to publicly published magazines like Science. My experience has been that most industry scientists have similar habits. There are 3 reasons for this behavior.
One is that private companies have their own libraries of research that they have. We keep these generic magazines in the library so individuals don't have to keep up with the magazines.
Two, industries have their own specific trade magazines they pay closer attention to.
Three, our own private research is more pertinent than the rabbit holes academia likes to delve.


It seems highly likely to me, that this organization is highly biased to the academic community compared to the much larger and more narrowly focused private scientific community.

[drewtam]

I'll add a few more things.

Other surveys have shown "Republicans" have on average more college degrees than "Democrats". So unless those degrees in Lit and Art, then this doesn't really make sense.

Republicans in the general population have historically been in the minority. But I know conservatism is not a 6% minority in our engineering campus. It might be a majority of the group.

[MicroBalrog]

People with degrees =/= scientists.

[Ben]

According to the report, the "scientists" they sampled seem to have come entirely from the AAAS organization.

Yeah, I don't believe there are a lot of astrophysicists, engineers, etc. in AAAS. You'll find most of them in the American Geophysical Union.

It makes sense that PEW went to AAAS as their sample group though. Most of the scientists they seem to work with, and give grants to, are environmental management scientists and biologists. 

[HankB]

. . . I consider engineers (like myself) 'scientists'. But since I work for a private company, I don't participate or pay attention to publicly published magazines like Science . . .

Another engineer here . . . although for some reason known only to the corporate HR department, my current "official" job title is "Physicist."

I'm not a Democrat. Many of my colleagues are not Democrats.

But of course, I probably wouldn't be considered a "scientist" either, since I don't routinely have articles published in peer-reviewed journals; most of my work is considered either a "trade secret" or ends up in a patent.

[MechAg94]

I have an engineering degree.  I wouldn't call myself a scientist as I work in chemical plant operations.  I don't really design anything much less do research.  However, most engineers I come across are fairly conservative at least in the way I define it. 

That said, I don't know what the difference is between guys who get their degree and go out to work versus those that decide to stay in school and continue their education.

The political affiliation of scientists and researchers means about as much to me as the the political affiliation of highway workers.  It is meaningless.  Scientists may be smart, but that doesn't mean they know anything about politics or economics or are any sort of authority on the subject. 

[KD5NRH]

As a "minority" from the political perspective in the sciences, I'm perhaps more sensitive to recognizing political views being injected into scientific views -- especially when listening to "water cooler" conversations that I have no doubt influence publications and official reports. Certainly if the numbers were reversed there might very well be bias from the other direction. The Slate article though, seems pretty unbiased in its suggestion that the scientific community should acknowledge this, which it is loathe to do.

Then it's up to everyone here to fix it.  Make more Libertarian and/or Republican scientists.

I'll throw my hat in the ring; I want a Geology degree, and I'm a Libertarian.  College fund contributions accepted via PayPal at kd5nrh@gmail.com 

[BryanP]

So far here's the best take on this story I've read:

http://www.atomicnerds.com/?p=4192

[Pb]

Uneducated people, and people with a high school diploma are more likely to be Democrats.

People with a batchelor's degree are most likely to be Republicans.

People with a graduate degree are more likely to be Democrats.  That would be the demographic mentioned here.

[KD5NRH]

Uneducated people, and people with a high school diploma are more likely to be Democrats.

People with a batchelor's degree are most likely to be Republicans.

People with a graduate degree are more likely to be Democrats.  That would be the demographic mentioned here.

Okay, then, make sure to donate enough to get me through a PhD.

[dm1333]

People with a graduate degree are more likely to be Democrats.  That would be the demographic mentioned here.

 

Nobody told me about that when I signed up for a grad degree!  Does it happen all at once or do you gradually lose your mind?  I'm curious because I'm halfway to a masters and I don't feel sick at all! 
 
 

[Ben]

 

Nobody told me about that when I signed up for a grad degree!  Does it happen all at once or do you gradually lose your mind?  I'm curious because I'm halfway to a masters and I don't feel sick at all! 

I'd be interested to see the percentages based on direct from undergrad to grad school vs went to work then back to grad school.

I did both undergrad and grad back to back, but I did them both in my 30's, so I'd already been exposed to the world for a while.

[RoadKingLarry]

 

people with a high school diploma are more likely to be Democrats.

I always enjoy being an statistical outlier

[Pb]

I, also, I am not a member of the party most popular with my educational level.

[MillCreek]

My first graduate degree was in chemistry, and I consider myself a moderate independent, and I vote for Republican, Democrat and Independent candidates/issues across party lines. Washington is one of the states in which you do not have to declare a party affiliation at voting.

[Tallpine]

HS Graduate (top 1/3)

BB (Black & Blue) Degree from the School of Hard Knocks (pass/fail)

BA Degree in Accounting & Business Administration (3.97 gpa)


Let's see ... I was born (literally) a Southern Democrat, converted by the Prophet Reagan to Republicanism, and then gradually drifted to be a Radical Libertarian with anarchist leanings.