>[!abstract] >The Matthew Effect in science and naming describes a sociological phenomenon where famous scientists receive disproportionate credit for discoveries, while lesser-known researchers are overlooked for similar or even identical work. > >Coined by sociologists Robert K. Merton and Harriet Zuckerman in 1968, the term is a direct reference to the biblical Gospel of Matthew: "For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath". In short: the rich get richer, and the famous get more famous (adapted from Wikipedia). >[!references] >- [[Merton (1968)]] states that the effect also works to "*heighten the visibility of contributions to science by scientists of acknowledged standing and to reduce the visibility of contributions by authors who are less well known*", which is a form of amplification bias. >- [[Merton (1968)]] also states that the renowned scientists' "*self-assurance, which is partly inherent, partly the result of experiences and associations in creative scientific environments, and partly a result of later social validation of their position, encourages them to search out risky but important problems and to highlight the results of their inquiry*". I wonder if this could partly explain the [[Nobel disease]]: scientists who have grown a strong self-assurance might be more prone to making outlandish claims. >- [[Katchanov et al. (2023)]] have quantified the Matthew effect in scientific discoveries. >[!related] >- **North** (upstream): — >- **West** (similar): — >- **East** (different): — >- **South** (downstream): —