Scientific Attitudes

Dr. Frank Jenkins

Centre for Research in Youth
Science Teaching and Learning

Scientific Attitudes

scientific attitudes are predispositions (tendency,

inclination, mental set or habit of mind) to think and
act in a certain wayapproaches that define
scientific & scientist

e.g., studied by Dr. Marshall Nay and James Kozlow in

Secondary Education in the 1970s

different from attitudes toward or about science

(e.g., not, I like (or dont like) science.)
see www.CRYSTALAlberta.ca and then Outreach,
Scientific Reasoning Text and Scientific Attitudes
Frank Jenkins, CMASTE a
nd CRYSTAL Alberta

Scientific Attitudes (1-4)

1.

2.

3.

4.

critical mindedness (looks for consistency

and challenges the validity of statements)
suspended judgment (recognizes the
restricted nature of evidence and concepts)
respect for evidence (looks for evidence
through an empirical approach)
honesty (reports all evidence and
acknowledges the work of others)
Frank Jenkins, CMASTE a
nd CRYSTAL Alberta

Scientific Attitudes (5-8)

5.

6.

7.

8.

objectivity (considers pros and cons and all

of the evidence availableunbiased)
willingness to change (alters hypotheses,
assumptions, technologies and methods)
openmindedness (considers several
possible alternatives when investigating)
questioning attitude (asks many questions:
how, what, who, where, when and why?)
Frank Jenkins, CMASTE a
nd CRYSTAL Alberta

Other Scientific Attitudes

9.

tolerance of uncertainty (rejection of certainty)

curiosity
looking to be creative
appreciation for beauty
appreciation for complexity
appreciation of unity (synthesis of concepts)
perseverance
Frank Jenkins, CMASTE a
nd CRYSTAL Alberta

Scientific Attitudes
Scientific

attitudes have been described as

what is left after everything else has been
forgotten; e.g., what is left from your
chemistry, physics and biology courses.
Scientific attitudes can be applied to many
different parts of your life including, for
example, democratic decisions, reading the
newspaper, and discussions with friends.
Frank Jenkins, CMASTE a
nd CRYSTAL Alberta

Technological & Societal

Technological Attitudes
perseverance
confidence in self
critical mindedness
creative disposition
confidence in
technological fixes
appreciation for
alternative perspectives

Societal Attitudes
tolerance
commitment
respect
confidence
vigilance
appreciation
understanding

Frank Jenkins, CMASTE a

nd CRYSTAL Alberta

Applying Scientific Attitudes

Learning of concepts, such as scientific
attitudes, generally go through the stages of
awareness, understanding and action. Think
of what action components might apply to:
discussing the behaviour of a friend
discussing climate change
discussing health care
discussing politics
Frank Jenkins, CMASTE a
nd CRYSTAL Alberta