Estimating social bias in data sharing behaviours: an open science experiment
Abstract Open data sharing is critical for scientific progress. Yet, many authors refrain from sharing scientific data, even when they have promised to do so. Through a preregistered, randomized audit experiment (N = 1,634), we tested possible ethnic, gender and status-related bias in scientists’ da...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2023-04-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Data |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02129-8 |
| _version_ | 1797841198349549568 |
|---|---|
| author | Claudia Acciai Jesper W. Schneider Mathias W. Nielsen |
| author_facet | Claudia Acciai Jesper W. Schneider Mathias W. Nielsen |
| author_sort | Claudia Acciai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Open data sharing is critical for scientific progress. Yet, many authors refrain from sharing scientific data, even when they have promised to do so. Through a preregistered, randomized audit experiment (N = 1,634), we tested possible ethnic, gender and status-related bias in scientists’ data-sharing willingness. 814 (54%) authors of papers where data were indicated to be ‘available upon request’ responded to our data requests, and 226 (14%) either shared or indicated willingness to share all or some data. While our preregistered hypotheses regarding bias in data-sharing willingness were not confirmed, we observed systematically lower response rates for data requests made by putatively Chinese treatments compared to putatively Anglo-Saxon treatments. Further analysis indicated a theoretically plausible heterogeneity in the causal effect of ethnicity on data-sharing. In interaction analyses, we found indications of lower responsiveness and data-sharing willingness towards male but not female data requestors with Chinese names. These disparities, which likely arise from stereotypic beliefs about male Chinese requestors’ trustworthiness and deservingness, impede scientific progress by preventing the free circulation of knowledge. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:27:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2ea059972b3a4bfc9eb233d67e534543 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2052-4463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:27:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Data |
| spelling | doaj.art-2ea059972b3a4bfc9eb233d67e5345432023-04-23T11:09:04ZengNature PortfolioScientific Data2052-44632023-04-0110111010.1038/s41597-023-02129-8Estimating social bias in data sharing behaviours: an open science experimentClaudia Acciai0Jesper W. Schneider1Mathias W. Nielsen2Department of Sociology, University of CopenhagenDanish Centre for Studies in Research and Research Policy, Department of Political Science, Aarhus UniversityDepartment of Sociology, University of CopenhagenAbstract Open data sharing is critical for scientific progress. Yet, many authors refrain from sharing scientific data, even when they have promised to do so. Through a preregistered, randomized audit experiment (N = 1,634), we tested possible ethnic, gender and status-related bias in scientists’ data-sharing willingness. 814 (54%) authors of papers where data were indicated to be ‘available upon request’ responded to our data requests, and 226 (14%) either shared or indicated willingness to share all or some data. While our preregistered hypotheses regarding bias in data-sharing willingness were not confirmed, we observed systematically lower response rates for data requests made by putatively Chinese treatments compared to putatively Anglo-Saxon treatments. Further analysis indicated a theoretically plausible heterogeneity in the causal effect of ethnicity on data-sharing. In interaction analyses, we found indications of lower responsiveness and data-sharing willingness towards male but not female data requestors with Chinese names. These disparities, which likely arise from stereotypic beliefs about male Chinese requestors’ trustworthiness and deservingness, impede scientific progress by preventing the free circulation of knowledge.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02129-8 |
| spellingShingle | Claudia Acciai Jesper W. Schneider Mathias W. Nielsen Estimating social bias in data sharing behaviours: an open science experiment Scientific Data |
| title | Estimating social bias in data sharing behaviours: an open science experiment |
| title_full | Estimating social bias in data sharing behaviours: an open science experiment |
| title_fullStr | Estimating social bias in data sharing behaviours: an open science experiment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimating social bias in data sharing behaviours: an open science experiment |
| title_short | Estimating social bias in data sharing behaviours: an open science experiment |
| title_sort | estimating social bias in data sharing behaviours an open science experiment |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02129-8 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT claudiaacciai estimatingsocialbiasindatasharingbehavioursanopenscienceexperiment AT jesperwschneider estimatingsocialbiasindatasharingbehavioursanopenscienceexperiment AT mathiaswnielsen estimatingsocialbiasindatasharingbehavioursanopenscienceexperiment |