Chemophobia versus the identity of chemists: heroes of chemistry as an effective communication strategy
Open accessAbstract
Abstract Decades of chemophobia are taking a high toll on chemistry. As current surveys suggest, people are displaying an irrational desire to live in a world without chemistry, but at the same time are unable to answer trivial chemistry questions. Constant questioning of the importance of chemistry induced by chemophobia leads to a weakening of the identity of chemists and can have negative consequences on the reproduction of chemistry. The need for the support of a positive perception of the chemical profession and an offer of positive examples for self-identification is the result. Everyday communication thus becomes the background on which the determination of the identity of the chemist takes place. The new communication strategy, which we call "heroes of chemistry", aims not only to add a much-needed human touch to chemistry communications, but also to create the conditions for strengthening the identity of the chemist.Graphic abstract
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Chalupa, R., & Nesměrák, K.
- Affiliations
- Charles University (CZ)
- Corresponding author
- Chalupa, Radek
- Venue
- Monatshefte für Chemie - Chemical Monthly
- Published
- 2020-06-08
- Volume
- 151
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1193-1201
- ISSN
- 0026-9247 (ISSN-L)
- 1434-4475
- PMC
- PMC7279634
- OpenAlex
- W3034298909
- Cited by
- 17
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 3.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Monatshefte für Chemie - Chemical Monthly (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Univerzita Karlova v Praze (Progress Q46)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Science Education and Perceptions
- Social Sciences › Education › Chemistry Education and Research
- Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Physical and Theoretical Chemistry › History and advancements in chemistry
- Keywords
- chemophobia, science communication, public perception of chemistry, chemistry profession, everyday communication
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