title: Biases about man-made cancer among researchers.
abstract: Can sociological variables significantly predict researchers' positions on a scientific issue? Carcinogenesis offers a good test case because it is not definitively established how important man-made substances are as contributors to human cancer. American cancer researchers divide on this issue, some broadly emphasizing the importance of man-made carcinogens, others consistently minimizing their importance relative to natural carcinogens. We find that cancer researchers who are male, are affiliated with a medical school, and have more publications, are more likely than their colleagues to minimize the importance of man-made carcinogens.
authors.affiliation: Center for Media and Public Affairs, N.W. Washington, DC 20037, USA. srlichter@cmpa.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazur
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rothman
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lichter
mesh_terms: D004194:Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000266:history*; D011639:Public Opinion; D012106:Research / Q000266:history*; D014481:United States