Scully Effect: Why Representation Matters?

X-files which premiered in 1993 have entertained viewers with its thrilling plots and edge-of-the-seat action. It shaped pop culture and to an extent, people’s lives. But, most importantly it gave us the character of Dana Scully, a brilliant FBI special agent with a medical background and an unshakable belief in science. Dana Scully inspired a generation of women to pursue a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). This has been termed the ‘Scully Effect.’

Women working in STEM

Women are severely underrepresented in STEM holding about 26% of such jobs. This underrepresentation is more pronounced among non-white, lower socio-economic classes. Interestingly, in a study conducted on young children’s perception of gender-typed occupations, Children as young as 4 years rated men as more competent in STEM careers. Studies have also shown that male scientists don’t accept empirical evidence of the underrepresentation of women in STEM.

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Women’s representation in media and it’s effects

According to the Oxford Handbook of Media Psychology, alongside parents and peers, media is an important agent of socialisation which enables an individual to form perceptions regarding gender roles that can lead to certain behaviour. Media representation has been a topic of discussion lately with debates ranging from diversity among the cast to the depiction of extreme violence.

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A content analysis by Signorelli and Kahlenbeg found that in prime-time television programmes, only 60% of women have been depicted as having a job outside the home compared to 75% of men. Though the media representation is constantly changing and is making room for diversity and shattering the glass ceiling, certain stereotypes still linger.

Media is the most common place where students learn about scientists but the typical scientist in a prime-time television show is always a caucasian, unmarried, and childless middle-aged man. A study on the gendered media representation of computer scientists has concluded that participation in an academic field is greatly influenced by existing stereotypes and altering how computer scientists are depicted in media can help draw more women towards the fields.

Women scientists are represented in media as subordinates and occupy lower-status roles. Male scientists usually occupy greater screen time than women. Not just in fictional television shows but also in the nightly news in the UK, men appeared as experts four times more than women, and ten times more for subjects such as business or politics.

Media plays a paramount role in identity formation and often bypasses socialised messages from peers, parents, teachers, and other agents of socialisation. Adolescents seek content and information from media which includes characters they identify with. They experience ‘wishful identification,’ i.e. a desire to emulate the qualities of same-gender and same-race characters or role models they see on the TV or in the movies.

How did Dana Scully change the narrative?

Dana Scully, played by Gillian Anderson, is a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and a medical doctor (MD). Dana Scully was known for her courage, reasoning, and deduction, which made her one of the first leading women in STEM on a prime- time show. A beacon of reason, and intellect, and a believer in scientific inquiry, Scully inspired women to join STEM careers and gave them the confidence to succeed in a largely male-dominated field.

A 2018 study from the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media showed that women who watched “The X-Files were 50% more likely to pursue careers in STEM. A staggering 91% of women who had seen The X-Files said Dana Scully was their role model whereas 63% of women that worked in STEM said the same. It also challenged gender stereotypes where women were described solely based on their physical attributes, but respondents described Scully as “smart,” “intelligent,” and “strong”.

In kids as young as 2-3 years of age, gender identity begins to develop. If they are consistently exposed to depictions of males in STEM fields, they will start to internalize that as normal. In their formative years, if girls don’t see themselves represented in certain roles on television then they won’t feel empowered to follow the path. Movies and TV shows play a significant role in shaping worldviews and reinforcing or challenging biases in kids.

Actor and activist Geena Davis says, “When girls in their formative years don’t see female characters on screen as biochemists, software developers, engineers, or statisticians, they are less likely to imagine or pursue those career paths for themselves.” Greater positive representation of women in STEM can help remove one of the barriers young girls face in this male-dominated discipline.

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Conclusion

There’s a self-reinforcing relationship between gender bias and media representation that goes on as a vicious cycle. Culture influences who is portrayed and how, and in turn representations reinforce stereotypes, biases, and access to opportunity and power. As the slogan of the Geena Davis Institute suggests, They can be it if they can see it. Media representation is vital to challenge deeply ingrained norms. Recognising that superheroes and role models transcend gender, race, ethnicity etc is crucial for underrepresented sections of the population to form an identity as the protagonist and not just a sidekick.