"Why Do Older Scientists Become More Conservative?"... Science Analyzes the 'Paradox of Innovation' [Reading Science]

As Careers Progress, Ability to Synthesize Knowledge Improves... Tendency for "Disruptive Innovation" Declines

Why do experienced scientists become increasingly conservative? According to a study published in Science, one of the world's most prestigious academic journals, as scientists' careers progress, their ability to synthesize existing knowledge improves, but their tendency toward "disruptive innovation" that overturns existing paradigms weakens.

On May 8, a research team from Nanjing Normal University in China, the Santa Fe Institute in the United States, and the University of Pittsburgh announced that they had analyzed data from over 12.5 million scientists worldwide who published papers between 1960 and 2020 and confirmed this trend.

Reference photo to aid understanding of the article. Provided by Pixabay

The researchers analyzed factors such as how frequently scientists cite older papers and how critically they accept new research. The results showed that the longer a scientist's career, the stronger the so-called "nostalgia effect," meaning a greater reliance on past literature and established theories. In contrast, younger researchers were more likely to produce studies that challenge the existing order.

However, the researchers cautioned against interpreting this simply as "older scientists cannot innovate." They explained that accumulating experience can actually enhance one's ability to connect and integrate diverse knowledge.

Lee Sangyeop, Vice President for Research and Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at KAIST, said in an interview with the Korea Science Media Center (SMCK), "I largely agree with the conclusion that young researchers tend to excel in disruptive innovation, while senior researchers are outstanding at synthesizing existing knowledge to create new insights," adding, "There is a need to design research support systems appropriate for each career stage."

On the other hand, some experts urged caution in interpreting the findings. Park Jonghwa, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), pointed out, "It is difficult to determine whether the conservatism observed among late-career researchers is due to actual aging or because those with disruptive innovation tendencies tend to leave academia earlier," warning that it may be risky to directly link the results to mandatory retirement or youth-preferential policies.

Implications for Korea's research environment were also highlighted. Jeong Chorok, Principal Investigator at the Stem Cell Convergence Research Center of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, emphasized, "We need a research culture that moves away from education focused solely on finding the right answers and instead encourages the design of questions and allows for failure," adding, "The exploration of young researchers and the verification by senior researchers must work together."

Park Hanwoo, Professor at the Department of Media and Communication, Graduate School of Digital Convergence Business, and Cyber Empathy Research Institute at Yeungnam University, stated, "What matters is not intergenerational conflict, but the redesign of roles," adding, "Senior researchers should not act as barriers to new questions, but instead play a role in connecting research to the broader academic community."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.