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Welch Journal Club

November 1, 2005

The Matthew Effect
Brian Brown, MLS, Communications Librarian, Welch Medical Library

The Rich get richer and the poor get poorer, or as it is known in science--he famous get more famous. This is termed the Mathew Effect by noted sociologist Robert K Merton. Merton established the sociology of science as a scientific discipline and wrote about psychosocial forces shaping science careers. In this 1968 Science article, Merton writes about the cumulative advantage and reward system inherent in science. The next article is his follow up 20 years later. Merton is a well know sociologist who developed such concepts as the "self-fulfilling prophecy," "role model," "deviant behavior," and focus groups.

Readings:

The Matthew Effect in Science
The Matthew Effect in Science, II: Cumulative Advantage and the Symbolism of Intellectual Property
Robert K. Merton dies
Oxford English Dictionary: Mertonian
Wikipedia: Matthew Effect