Female researchers are underrepresented in the press photographs in Spain. This is the first ascertainment of the study of the Universitat de València, carried out by the Observatorio de las Dos Culturas, led by the full university professor of journalism Martí Domínguez.
The study, published in the prestigious journal ‘Science Communication’ has analysed 1.134 photographs of the scientific news published during 2004 and 2015 in four of the most important newspapers in Spain: El País, El Mundo, La Vanguardia and ABC. There is a general underrepresentation in every newspaper analysed. 79% of the photographs only showed male researchers, facing the 17, 1. % of pictures which only showed women and a 9% which was mixed. In fact, the presence of women in press photographs is less than their real participation in the academic field, in which women represent between 35% and 39%. According to the research group, ‘this fact contributes to the spread of the gender stereotype associated to certain disciplines or scientific fields’. David González, Anna Mateu and Empar Ros, researchers from the research group of the Universitat de València Observatorio de las Dos Culturas, have participated in this study led by the full university professor of the Faculty of Journalism Martí Domínguez.
Not as protagonists, but as a resource
The study has also detected that women appear to a greater extent than men as a photographic resource. That means, in pictures which show the piece but which are not directly related to the information. One of every four images where female researchers appear represent anonymous investigators performing a scientific task. These can be used to talk about general aspects of science. In the meanwhile, 1 of every 20 images of male researchers responds to this category. Male researchers appear in the 94,7% of the photographs as the protagonists of the information, for instance, in information related to their scientific findings or their academic career. In women, there is a 74,1%.
The article warns that this underrepresentation of the female researchers can contribute to the continuation of the inequalities in the scientific area. Besides, the study focuses on the fact that increasing the presence of women in the media cannot be enough if they are not the protagonists of the information, but of the decoration.
Reference
González, D., Mateu, A., Pons, E., & Domínguez, M. (2017). Women scientists as decor: The image of scientists in spanish press pictures. Science Communication,39(4), 535-547. doi:10.1177/1075547017719074
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